The prices of everyday essentials in Bangladesh rose an average 4.39 percent in October, with fish up most, by an average 11.72 percent. Consumers Forum (CF) drew the figures from market prices it collected in September and October, and announced them on Sunday in a release from its general secretary, Emdad Hossain Malek.
According to the report, 15 items became dearer. Spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin rose 10.30 percent; onion, garlic and ginger 7.79 percent; fuel oil 6.02 percent; sugar 4.93 percent; edible oil and dalda 4.80 percent; flour 3.25 percent; and rice 2.62 percent. Eggs rose 1.42 percent and meat 0.38 percent.
Seven kinds of goods held steady: salt, dairy products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, chanachur and biscuits, eleven common brands of medicine, and exercise books and pens. Two fell: vegetables by 3.12 percent, and gold and silver by 4.77 percent.
Citing markets in Jashore, Bogura and Rangpur, CF says vegetable prices fell as the winter crop began to arrive, but growers cannot recover their costs. In Bogura and Rangpur a cauliflower or cabbage sells for Tk 6 to 12, a radish for Tk 6 to 8, a bottle gourd for Tk 8 to 10 and four bananas for Tk 5 to 8. In Dhaka the same cauliflower or cabbage costs Tk 50, papaya Tk 30, radish Tk 30, bottle gourd Tk 60 and four green bananas Tk 40 to 50.
By CF's count essentials rose 3.13 percent in September, making 7.52 percent over the two months. In Dhaka the data came from Karwan Bazar, Rampura, Meradia, Bhuiyan Bazar in Aftabnagar, Meena Bazar and Shwapno superstores.
The organisation called for effective action against profiteering traders, and said it hoped the government would supervise markets to keep both farm-gate and consumer prices of rural produce reasonable. Raising pay alone is not enough, it said; rents, education and medical costs must also stay within reach of middle and lower-middle income families. The report is by Ittefaq's digital desk.
Photo: Rmrony / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Ittefaq
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