Sudden price hike greets Ramadan; Retailers charge extra price on soybean oil, sugar
Dhaka, Aug 12 (UNB) - Despite government steps to curb price hike of essential commodities and business leaders’ pledge to keep market stable, city’s kitchen markets and grocery shops apparently went uncontrolled on the first day of holy month of Ramadan.
Mainly for the absence of government price-list of essential commodities, poor monitoring retailers are overcharging in selling consumer products as their own will even they do not hesitate to
overcharge on packed consumer products defying imprinted maximum retail price (MRP) tag.
While visiting a number of kitchen markets in the city on Thursday morning, it was found that the retailers were charging extra price though the printed maximum retail price (MRP) is lower than they charge.
Even the traders were found violating government directives in selling sugar, edible oil and meat.
A five liter bottled soybean oil of Teer brand is being sold at Tk 430 though it contains a price tag of Tk 424 having manufacturing date of August 9, 2010. On the other hand, per liter soybean oil of
Rupchanda and Teer brands is being sold at Tk 90.
When asked why they are not following printed MRP rate on the product, the retailers did not want to explain the cause and expressed unwillingness to talk about it.
The same way, per kg packed sugar of Fresh brand and Teer brand is being sold at Tk 50 to Tk 52 though the packet shows Tk 48 as per kg price. This was the scenario in the city’s Malibagh Kitchen Market.
Just few yards ahead of the market (Malibagh), a bunch of grocery shops gave totally different scenario. They are selling per kg unpacked sugar at Tk 52 while packed sugar at Tk 55. The government, however, fixed per kg mill gate sugar price at Tk Tk 43.
Per kg unpacked soybean oil and palm oil (super) is being sold at Tk 82 and Tk 76 respectively.
The government on August 5 fixed the maximum mill-gate prices of unpacked soybean oil at Tk 76 and retail prices at Tk 80 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of per kg unpacked palm oil (super) was Tk 76.
Meanwhile, per kg chickpea is being sold at Tk 45 to Tk 48 depending on quality at city’s Malibagh and Shantinagar kitchen markets. But outside the kitchen markets, the grocery shop owners are selling chickpea at Tk 48 though the same quality chickpea is being sold at Tk 45 in the kitchen market.
Prices of vegetables have also increased compared to last couple of days. Per kg Brinjal is being sold at Tk 45 to Tk 60 which was only Tk 38 last week. However, the price of eggplant remained stable. Per kg eggplant is being sold at Tk 30 to Tk 37.
Price of green chili has also marked sharp price hike. Per kg green chili is now being sold at Tk 120 though it was 100 even two days back.
Menwhile, per kg cucumber is being sold at Tk 30, potato at Tk 14, ginger at Tk 100 to Tk 120, garlic at Tk 150, onion at Tk 25.
Dhaka City Corporation on Thursday last fixed the price of beef, mutton and buffalo meat for the holy month of Ramadan but the traders are charging overprice showing thump to the directives.
Per kg beef is being sold at Tk 260 while mutton is at Tk 350 to Tk 360 though the DCC fixed the price of per kg beef at Tk 250 and mutton at Tk 350. Buffalo meat was fixed at Tk 220.
Though the traders were asked to hang the price chart in their shops and follow it from the first Ramadan to 27 Ramadan, no price chart was found in the most of the kitchen markets.
While talking to this correspondent, Monowar Ahmed, a consumer, said: “We don't have any other choice other than buying at the price what they demand…..there is no monitoring what we heard earlier.”
He said although entire city dwellers are suffering from artificially created situation, a very small group of people raising voice against price rise. “We’re virtually helpless.”
An elderly Sorwar Hossain at city’s Malibagh kitchen market told this correspondent that the government should make price list of each product for all shops mandatory so that consumers can bargain with the sellers.
Mainly for the absence of government price-list of essential commodities, poor monitoring retailers are overcharging in selling consumer products as their own will even they do not hesitate to
overcharge on packed consumer products defying imprinted maximum retail price (MRP) tag.
While visiting a number of kitchen markets in the city on Thursday morning, it was found that the retailers were charging extra price though the printed maximum retail price (MRP) is lower than they charge.
Even the traders were found violating government directives in selling sugar, edible oil and meat.
A five liter bottled soybean oil of Teer brand is being sold at Tk 430 though it contains a price tag of Tk 424 having manufacturing date of August 9, 2010. On the other hand, per liter soybean oil of
Rupchanda and Teer brands is being sold at Tk 90.
When asked why they are not following printed MRP rate on the product, the retailers did not want to explain the cause and expressed unwillingness to talk about it.
The same way, per kg packed sugar of Fresh brand and Teer brand is being sold at Tk 50 to Tk 52 though the packet shows Tk 48 as per kg price. This was the scenario in the city’s Malibagh Kitchen Market.
Just few yards ahead of the market (Malibagh), a bunch of grocery shops gave totally different scenario. They are selling per kg unpacked sugar at Tk 52 while packed sugar at Tk 55. The government, however, fixed per kg mill gate sugar price at Tk Tk 43.
Per kg unpacked soybean oil and palm oil (super) is being sold at Tk 82 and Tk 76 respectively.
The government on August 5 fixed the maximum mill-gate prices of unpacked soybean oil at Tk 76 and retail prices at Tk 80 per kg. Meanwhile, the price of per kg unpacked palm oil (super) was Tk 76.
Meanwhile, per kg chickpea is being sold at Tk 45 to Tk 48 depending on quality at city’s Malibagh and Shantinagar kitchen markets. But outside the kitchen markets, the grocery shop owners are selling chickpea at Tk 48 though the same quality chickpea is being sold at Tk 45 in the kitchen market.
Prices of vegetables have also increased compared to last couple of days. Per kg Brinjal is being sold at Tk 45 to Tk 60 which was only Tk 38 last week. However, the price of eggplant remained stable. Per kg eggplant is being sold at Tk 30 to Tk 37.
Price of green chili has also marked sharp price hike. Per kg green chili is now being sold at Tk 120 though it was 100 even two days back.
Menwhile, per kg cucumber is being sold at Tk 30, potato at Tk 14, ginger at Tk 100 to Tk 120, garlic at Tk 150, onion at Tk 25.
Dhaka City Corporation on Thursday last fixed the price of beef, mutton and buffalo meat for the holy month of Ramadan but the traders are charging overprice showing thump to the directives.
Per kg beef is being sold at Tk 260 while mutton is at Tk 350 to Tk 360 though the DCC fixed the price of per kg beef at Tk 250 and mutton at Tk 350. Buffalo meat was fixed at Tk 220.
Though the traders were asked to hang the price chart in their shops and follow it from the first Ramadan to 27 Ramadan, no price chart was found in the most of the kitchen markets.
While talking to this correspondent, Monowar Ahmed, a consumer, said: “We don't have any other choice other than buying at the price what they demand…..there is no monitoring what we heard earlier.”
He said although entire city dwellers are suffering from artificially created situation, a very small group of people raising voice against price rise. “We’re virtually helpless.”
An elderly Sorwar Hossain at city’s Malibagh kitchen market told this correspondent that the government should make price list of each product for all shops mandatory so that consumers can bargain with the sellers.
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