Syful,
Staff reporter, Chittagong; 28 March 2018: Bangladesh is a poor country. A large number of
people in this country live below the poverty line. They can’t afford to eat
two times a day, let alone three times. In addition, the prices of essential
commodities have risen and gone beyond the reach of the people. It is found in
different kitchen markets in Manikganj city that rice sells 60-65 tk. Per kg,
flour 35, soyabean oil 120, onion 30, potato 30, and garlic 100 Tk. per kg etc.
prices of beef, mutton, chicken, egg, pulse, spice, sugar have been found to
increase in the same way. In the market of fish, the fire of price is burning. It
is learned from the customers and retailers that market syndicate is mostly
responsible for this price hike. Besides, some dishonest people store essential
commodities with a view to making a huge profit. This causes a sharp decrease in
the supply in the market which contributes to an increase in prices. FAO,
Manikganj city said that the price hike at Manikganj city is nothing new. The
whole country is suffering from high prices of commodities due to the increase in
prices in the international market and money inflation at the national level. “Yet
we are alert to check any tampering in the market”, she added. Most of the
common people do not agree with the FAO. “These are lame excuses. We just want
to have the prices within our reach. We just want to survive”, said Abdus
Sattar, a retired primary school teacher of the locality.