Although there is almost one and a half months remaining for Ramadan to begin, the prices of goods used in the month of fasting have started increasing in the country’s markets.
Every year in the month of Ramadan there is a high demand for products like oil, sugar, chickpeas, gram flour, pulses, dates etc.
The market for these products is already high. Therefore, the concern of the buyer is increasing. Traders informed that besides the dollar and LC crisis, the prices of these products have increased due to the increase in fuel prices.
Traders at Karwan Bazar informed this reporter that they have already got information from various companies that prices of essentials may go up higher. Companies are blaming high rates of dollar, high transport cost due to high fuel price, and others for such price hikes.
However, there are repeated assurances from various parties including the Ministry of Commerce that the prices of daily commodities will not increase during Ramadan. But the markets of the capital showed a different picture. Before the start of Ramadan, the prices of goods used in fasting have increased.
Md. Yousuf, proprietor of Yousuf store based in Karwan Bazar told Bangladesh Post, “We have witnessed less supply against our demand. Due to a crisis of specific products for a certain period, prices usually go up when we do not have anything in our hands.
Nevertheless, consumers mostly blame us whereas we have to wait to get products from the retail level.”
Showing an example of sugar, he further said that this is a most needed commodity during Ramadan, but its price can go up further besides others.
Consumers at the kitchen market told this reporter that each month they have to spend extra money purchasing essentials, but their earnings are not increasing. They demanded increased surveillance in all the steps of the commodities supply chain.
According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) daily commodity price list, the truth of the price hike of Ramadan commodities has also been found. As per the TCB list, gram is being sold at Tk 85 to Tk 90 per kilogram (kg) with an increase of Tk 3 at least, anchor gram pulse is being sold at Tk 75 per kg with an increase of Tk 3, sugar is being sold at Tk 120 per kg with an increase of Tk 2 to Tk 3 per kg.