High prices of essentials
Photo: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN / DRIKNEWS
The parliamentary standing committee of commerce ministry visited three kitchen markets of the city on June 15 this year. It also prepared a report that said it was satisfied that prices of daily essentials were “stable” and “did not increase” after the budget proposal on June 9. “The committee hopes it will remain stable during the month of Ramadan (in August),” a report said. In a stark contrast, however, a number of the ruling alliance lawmakers including Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal MP Hasanul Haq Inu and Jatiya Party MP Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury expressed concern over the price hike of essentials in parliament on June 26. At the time of the committee's visits to Karwan Bazar, Mohammadpur Town Hall Super Market and Mohammadpur wholesale market, there were no price lists there. The chief of the House body told the reporters on that day that prices of essentials were under control, but customers said shopkeepers misled the committee members by lying about the prices. On that day, a customer bought 1 kg of sugar for Tk. 64/- from a shop, but the shopkeeper told the House delegation that he was selling sugar at Tk. 60/-. So, the committee in its report said sugar was selling at Tk 60 a kg. In this way the House committee visited the kitchen markets and accordingly prepared a report. How could the chief of the house committee tell the reporters that prices of essentials were stable? The real picture is totally different. Government should look into the matter seriously without any plea because the holy Ramadan is knocking at the door.
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