daily essentials
Traders propose raising edible oil prices by Tk 10 per litre as VAT exemption period ends
Traders have proposed increasing the prices of edible oil by Tk 10 per litre as the tax exemption deadline on it expired on April 15.
Bangladesh Vegetables Oil Refiners' and Vanaspati Manufacturer's Association (BVORVMFA) sent a letter to the senior secretary of the commerce ministry in this regard on Monday.
The letter was issued by executive officer of BVORVMFA Nurul Islam Mollah.
Dhaka district receives lion's share of remittances so far in current fiscal: BB Report
The letter stated that as tax exemption on the import of raw materials and production of edible expired on April 15 so it will be supplied at the prices fixed before the exemption of VAT.
As per new rate, a litre bottle of soybean oil will be sold at Tk 173, while 5 litre bottle at Tk 845 and a litre palm oil at Tk 132.
In February the National Board of Revenue reduced the Value Added Tax on refined and crude (non-refined) soybean and palm oil to 10 percent from 15 percent.
However, state minister for commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu at a meet the press at Dhaka Reporters ‘Unity on Tuesday said there is no scope to hike prices of edible oil.
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He said the edible oil price can be adjusted with the international market rate but it will take time.
The state minister also said the price hike would be considered on the import of new shipment of the edible oil.
TCB will sell 4 essentials at half the market price in Dhaka from Nov 14
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will start sale of four daily essentials—lentils, soybean oil, potatoes, and onions—in trucks at various points in the capital from Tuesday (November 14, 2023) alongside its family card programme.
These products will be available at half of the current market price.
Secretary to the Commerce Ministry Tapan Kanti Ghosh said these while talking to reporters at the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce at the Secretariat on Monday.
“Through the TCB card, 13 lakh families in Dhaka are being given products at a fair price. Apart from this, from Tuesday (November 14), 25 to 30 trucks will sell products in Dhaka when 9000 more families will be able to buy goods at lower prices. 300 people will get these products from each truck. Sales will take place every day except Fridays and Saturdays, with different days allocated to different places,” he said.
Read: TCB to import soybean oil, lentil for OMS programme
He said that the truck sale would be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Given the increase in imports, the scope of this truck sale will be increased, said the commerce secretary.
He said that it will be monitored to ensure that TCB family cardholders do not buy products from these trucks.
Meanwhile, according to the sources of the Ministry of Commerce, a consumer can buy products from these truck sale only once a month.
Read: TCB to start selling 5 products to 1 crore families at subsidized prices
Tapan Kanti Ghosh said, “Anyone can buy 2 kg of lentils, potatoes, and onions and 2 liters of soybean oil. In this case, the potato will be sold at Tk 30 per kg, onion at Tk 50, lentils at Tk 60, and soybean oil at Tk 100 per liter.”
About egg import, Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the import of 25 crore eggs has been approved.
“62000 eggs have been imported. Our aim is not to import eggs but to reduce the price of eggs. If the price is low, there is no problem even if the import is low,” he said.
Read more: TCB to sell onion at Tk35 per kg to cardholders from Monday
But until the market stabilizes, potatoes and eggs will be imported. “We got significant results because of the import of eggs and potatoes. Instructions have been sent from the Prime Minister's office that potatoes will be sold at Tk 27 per kg from cold storage. Potatoes will be released from cold storage in the presence of a district administration representative.”
TCB starts selling 5 daily essentials ahead of Ramadan
State-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh on Thursday started selling five daily essentials ahead of Ramadan.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi inaugurated the sale of five items- edible oil, sugar, dates, chickpeas and lentils- formally at a function at Tejgaon in the capital.
These essential items will be sold in two phases at subsidized rates among 1 crore low-income families across the country on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan.
Addressing the inaugural event, the minister said the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working sincerely to alleviate the sufferings of the low-income people of the country.
Every month, oil, pulse, sugar are being sold at subsidized prices to one crore families of the country. On the occasion of holy Ramadan, dates and chickpeas are being sold in Dhaka city, he said.
The five products are sugar at Tk 60 per kg, lentils at Tk 70 per kg, soyabean oil at Tk 110 per kg, chickpea at Tk 50 per kg and dates at Tk 100 per kg (in Dhaka city alone).
The second installment of the essentials will be sold early next month.
The card holders can buy the five goods at subsidised rates from the TCB's specific sales points and dealers’ outlets.
A card holder can buy 2 litre soybean oil, 2 kg lentil, sugar, chickpea and 1 kg date at a time.TCB Chairman Brig Gen Md Mahbubur Rahman was present on the occasion.
Govt to soon fix prices of 9 daily essentials
The Bangladesh government will soon fix the prices of nine essential commodities, including rice and wheat, to ease public sufferings, a senior Minister has said.
"The Tariff Commission will determine the reasonable prices of these products in the next 15 days," Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told reporters after a meeting at the ministry on Tuesday.
Read: Government cuts fuel prices by Tk5 per litre
These nine products are rice, wheat, flour, refined sugar, edible oil, lentils, onions, MS products (rods) and cement.
Legal action will be taken against anyone found charging more than the fixed price, the Minister warned.
Bangladesh heading towards acute crisis: BNP warns
BNP on Monday warned that the country is going to face an acute crisis due to shortage of food and soaring prices of daily essentials.
“The entire nation is passing their days amid serious anxiety. Bangladesh will plunge into serious crisis,” said BNP senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office he also expressed concern that Bangladesh is moving towards ‘bankruptcy’.
Also read: Bangladesh on verge of collapse like Sri Lanka: Fakhrul
“The situation in Bangladesh can be more critical than in Sri Lanka. The people of the country won’t even find peace by crying silently amid a dire economic situation,” the BNP leader said.
He also said the condition of the people in the country is miserable as the prices of daily necessities are going up very quickly.
“Wheat can’t be imported as the major countries have stopped its export. It will be impossible for ordinary people to buy flour after some days amid the abnormal rise in rice prices and the disappearance of soybean oil,” Rizvi said.
He slammed the government for what he said its failure to stop the price hikes in daily essentials due to the foul play of business syndicates.
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“Bangladesh is in a deep crisis of all kinds of food products. The paddy fields in a large area of Bangladesh have gone under water caused by onrush of water from the upstream and the damage of different dams, leaving farmers in a miserable situation,” the BNP leader observed.
Prices soaring for no reason: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Monday said the prices of daily essentials keep soaring without any reason for lack of monitoring of the market.
“The vegetables that the farmers are selling at Tk5 per kg are being sold in the market at Tk 50-60 due to the middlemen and extortionists,” he said.
Speaking at a discussion, GM Quader also said the extortionists are collecting tolls from goods-laden vehicles in a free style by opening offices in different areas.
READ: Bangladesh politics not for good people any more: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chief said common people have become completely baffled due to the unusual hike in the prices of essential commodities. “But there’s no one to check it.”
He said if the price of any product is increased by Tk 1 abroad, it is increased up to Tk 100 in Bangladesh. “Those who’re supposed to monitor the market, they’re indulging in corruption. So, there’s no solution to the problem.”
READ: Identify reasons why police failed to control violence: GM Quader
Jatiya Jubo Sanghati arranged the programme at Jatiya Party chairman’s Banani office, making the National Youth Day 2021.
GM Quader said many mega projects are being implemented in the country, but there is no effective step for creating job opportunities for the unemployed youth of the country.
He said the government must take pragmatic steps for creating employment opportunities for around 4.5 crore jobless people. “The employment of youths should be ensured in all mega projects in the days to come.”
The Jatiya Party chief lamented that the government is hardly bothered about the suffering of jobless youths. “No one seems to care about jobs for youths.”
Unable to find work in the country, he said many young people are going abroad in many ways risking their lives. “Young people are dying while crossing the sea in unauthorised dinghy boats. Youths lose their lives while going abroad through deserts or jungles. What can be a more tragic incident than this!”
He said the government can take mega projects as those who stay abroad send most of their income home. “But the expatriates are harassed as soon as they land at the airport.
TCB to sell essentials on streets from Monday
Amid the ongoing strict lockdown the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) will continue selling daily essentials at subsidised price.
The daily essentials would be available on dealer trucks from July 26 to Aug. 26 across the country, said a TCB press release Sunday.
READ: Consumers showing little interest in Tk15 kg Turkish onion of TCB
However, the trucks won't be available on public holidays.
People could purchase edible soybean oil at Tk 100 per liter, lentils Tk 55 per kg and sugar Tk 55 per kg, the release also said.
READ: Onion supply glut in Khulna puts TCB in dilemma
BNP blames corrupt syndicate for price hike
Voicing deep concerns over the growing price hike of daily essentials, BNP on Tuesday alleged that corrupt “government-backed” syndicates are controlling the kitchen markets to make quick buck through tricks.
“The prices of essentials are reduced during Ramadan in other Muslim countries. But in our country, the prices of goods go up during this time. Awami League-backed syndicates are controlling the market and raising the prices of goods through tricks,” said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a press conference at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, he also bemoaned that the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), has also increased the prices of commodities ahead of Ramadan. “It’s regrettable as people usually depend on TCB to buy goods at fair prices. A syndicate is also there.”
Also read: Soaring veggie prices sour festive spirit for city residents
Fakhrul said the prices of essential commodities, including rice, soybean oil, sugar, and flour, have marked a sharp rise due to the government’s failure to monitor the market.
As a sequel to widespread corruption during this government, he said the managements of kitchen markets have been held hostage to the corrupt business syndicates who are the “beneficiaries of the government”.
He said it is the responsibility of the government to control the corrupt syndicates and keep the market stable.
Also read: Govt has no roadmap to enforce full lockdown: BNP
The BNP leader said there is no alternative to installing a pro-people government in the country removing the political stalemate to protect the human rights and interests of people.
“This government is least bothered about people’s welfare since they’ve no accountability. Under the circumstances, everyone must take part in the movement to establish a democratic and pro-people government under the leadership of the BNP,” he observed.
Fakhrul said the government provoked the Hefazat to engage in violence on the occasion of Independence Day as part of its move to climate the opposition.
Also read: Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan
The BNP alleged that police have long been arresting their party’s leaders and activists at different parts of the country in different cases.
About the condition of their party chairperson Khaleda, Zia who tested positive for coronavirus, Fakhrul said she is doing well and receiving treatment from her personal physicians.
He urged people to pray for the speedy recovery of their party chief.
Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan
The prices of most vegetables have doubled in the capital’s kitchen markets compared to a week ago due to supply crunch, according to consumers.
At several kitchen markets in the city on Sunday, each kg broiler chicken was selling at Tk170-180 which was Tk150-160 a week ago. It was sold for Tk120-130 last month.
Besides, the prices of different daily essential commodities including soybean and palm oil, chicken, flour and sugar keep on soaring in Dhaka’s kitchen markets ahead of the month of Ramadan.
The consumers urged the government to take proper steps to control the prices at the kitchen markets in the holy month of Ramadan amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Also read: Prices of daily essentials soar in kitchen markets
Shariful Alam, a resident of Amulia, said he has to purchase most vegetables at double the prices compared to a week ago. “Today I bought a kg of aubergine and cucumber at Tk50 which was Tk25 respectively in the last week. Besides, I purchased a kg broiler at Tk170 which was Tk150 a week ago,” he also shared.
A hali of lemon (four pieces) was selling at Tk40-60, each kg arum at Tk40-50, bitter gourd at Tk50-60, papaya at Tk40, bean at Tk40-60 and yardlong bean at Tk50, lady's finger at Tk60, calabash at Tk40-50, and patal (pointed gourd) at Tk50-60 in capital.