The Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) on Tuesday called for urgent action to tackle the alarming rise in the prices of daily essentials, blaming dishonest and profit-mongering traders for market manipulation.
It presented a nine-point demand for controlling the abnormal price hike from a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
CAB leaders expressed concern over the escalating prices of basic necessities, which are causing severe hardship for consumers.
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Speakers at the human chain said the soaring prices of essential items have become a significant burden for the general public.
They pointed out that most vegetables in Dhaka’s retail markets are being sold for over Tk 100 per kilogram, while green chilli, which recently reached a record-high price of Tk 600 per kg, is now being sold at Tk 400 per kg.
Besides, eggs are being sold at Tk 170-180 per dozen, up from Tk 150-160 just two months ago.
Despite this crisis, the government has yet to take effective action to relieve consumers from the burden of soaring prices, the speakers lamented.
Among those addressing the human chain were Ruhin Hossain Prince, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Mohiuddin Ahmed, Convener of Nagrik Somaj, and CAB General Secretary Advocate Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan.