Guided and controlled by business and shop owners’ associations, a parliamentary body yesterday expressed “deep satisfaction” over price of essentials following visits to two major kitchen markets in the capital. Consumers and even sellers at these wholesale markets termed the Jatiya Sangsad body’s visit “farcical”. They said such visits in motorcade accompanied by police force, market leaders and ministry’s high officials are of no use as shop owners seldom tell the real prices.
Their account proved right when an aggrieved sexagenarian consumer dared to protest in front of the chief of the JS body on commerce about the price hike of essentials, especially skyrocketing prices of fish.
“What are you saying [to media]? Prices in the fish market have shot up so high that I could not touch fish… I had to buy a hilsa fish at Tk 800 as I am a patient. Where has the fish gone?” the old man shouted at ABM Abul Qasem, chief of the committee, when he was expressing satisfaction over market prices to reporters.
After visiting three fish vendors and two groceries at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, the one-member JS body expressed satisfaction over the current market prices of daily essentials and iftar items.
But when reporters drew Abul Qasem’s attention to the aggrieved consumer’s reaction, he said they were urging the government to stop export of all kinds of fish including hilsa.
Not only fish, most items including onion, gram, edible oil, potato, garlic were selling at higher prices compared to pre-Ramadan period at this kitchen market, alleged Mizanur Rahman, Soheli and Tania who came to the market at that time.
It was seen that in front of the visiting team accompanied by market leaders and police and magistrates, the sellers claimed lower prices.
Talking to this correspondent, Mizanur, a service holder, Jahanara Begum, a housewife, and several other consumers also said they bought lentils and okra at higher prices.
Mohammad Shamim, a staff of a grocery shop at the Mohammadpur Krishi Market, admitted that they had to ask lower prices of essentials fearing action by the market leaders.
“Price of onion is now Tk 34 per kilogram today [yesterday], which was Tk 30 last week,” Shamim said, adding, “Prices of tomato is now Tk 90 per kilo which was Tk 70 one week ago. Potato is selling at Tk 24 per kg which was Tk 22 last week.”
Prices of cucumber, eggplant, green chilli and some other vegetable items however decreased by Tk 4 to Tk 30 item basis.
Tania, a student, said a fish trader demanded Tk 1,200 for a large size of hilsa and Tk 900 for a medium one.
But when this correspondent asked prices of the same fish, the trader demanded Tk 800 for the large one and Tk 700 for the other.
“Now you see!” said the student, adding, “Assuming you a journalist, he [fish seller] just reduced the price.” The fish seller however denied her allegation.
Before visiting Mohammadpur Krishi Market, the JS body went to a part of Karwan Bazar kitchen market.
As soon as the committee’s motorcade reached the market, general secretary, joint secretary, organising secretary and other leaders of the market association surrounded the JS body. The committee was accompanied by Helal Uddin, president, Dhaka Dokan Malik Samity, and Joint Secretary of commerce ministry Kamal Krishna Bhattacharyya, among others.
The association leaders guided the JS body, which visited three fish vendors and three groceries. In some cases, Helal Uddin was seen asking prices of essentials to sellers with an authoritarian voice in front of the JS body chief.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
