The prices of essential commodities have increased not only in Bangladesh but also in other countries of the world due to the ongoing global situation, said Local Government and Rural Development (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam on Friday. The minister said, apart from Bangladesh, commodity prices have risen in almost all countries of the world including India, China, England, and Singapore. Read: Covid fallouts, Russia-Ukraine war behind price hike: PM He was talking to the reporters after the Bangladesh Youth Cadet Forum (BYCF) Ex-Cadet Camp-2022 at the proposed Sheikh Kamal Krira Palli in Cumilla. The LGRD minister said production in many industries has declined due to the Covid pandemic. “Communications were halted and fuel prices rose to record levels.” Besides, the Russia-Ukraine war has affected the global market, he added.  “The government was trying to control the prices of essential commodities for the people of the country,” said the minister. Tajul said “It is not possible to reduce the price of all products suddenly if you want to.” “Even then, the government is trying to keep the prices of daily necessities within the reach of the people,” said the minister, adding that the government has decided to reduce VAT (value added tax) on imported essentials so that people can buy at lower prices. He further said the purchasing power of the people and the per capita income has also increased. “And so the demand for products has also increased, so has the impact on prices.” Read: Strict monitoring to check price hike of commodities during Ramadan: Munshi He also mentioned that the prices of products are increasing due to increasing production cost. Cumilla City Corporation Mayor Md Monirul Islam Sakku, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamrul Hasan, Superintendent of Police Faruk Ahmed PPM (Bar), and Adarsha Sadar Upazila Chairman Advocate Aminul Islam Tutul were present at the event among others.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said Bangladesh is gradually becoming an ‘uninhabitable’ country for lack of safety of people. “People lack the safety of their lives and dignity. It seems to be a normal affair that people will die in accidents on roads while bus passengers die hit by trains and many people get killed in accidents on waterways,” he said. Read: Liberation War: GM Quader says martyrs’ dreams remain unfulfilled GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, bemoaned that those responsible for various accidents are not being brought to justice. He regretted that women are being subjected to gang-raped while travelling with their husbands and children. “Those who wear caps having beards are being harassed by branding them as militants. Many innocent people are being extorted money by calling them militants. The country is becoming uninhabitable day by day,” the Jatiya party chief said. He made the remarks at a views-exchange meeting with the leaders of Jatiya Party’s Kishoreganj district unit at the party Chairman’s Banani office. GM Quader said people are going through a tough time to cope with the soaring prices of the daily essentials. “The prices of essentials are going up uncontrollably, but people have no job and income. So, most of the people in the country are struggling to make ends meet.” After passing MA, he said, many youths are working as hawkers for lack of jobs and many educated unemployed are driving CNG-run auto-rickshaws as their merits are not being evaluated. Read: UP polls: GM Quader says no change in centre-capturing culture “We’re failing to use the educated unemployed in the interest of the country. Hundreds of educated unemployed are going abroad every year crossing the seas and hills illegally taking the risk of their lives and even many die,” the Jatiya Party chief observed. He said their party does not do the politics to take anyone to power or to remove anyone from it. “Jatiya Party is doing politics for the emancipation of people. "We also don't do politics to gain someone's trust or to dislike someone. Jatiya Party is in the field of politics with a distinct ideology. GM Quader also said people want to see the Jatiya Party in power as an alternative to Awami League and BNP.

The soaring prices of essentials in anticipation of the strict lockdown in Khulna has increased the sufferings of the low- and middle-income people. They have been struggling to make ends meet and surviving seems to be the hardest challenge for them now.   The prices of edible oil, vegetables and other essentials were on the rise due to the multiple syndicates in the market, claimed many consumers. Also read: Khulna Division sees highest daily death toll of 32 in single day The lack of price monitoring reinforced the syndicates and unscrupulous practices of the traders. For over a month, bottled edible Soybean oil (5 litres) was being sold for Tk 680-700. Non-bottled edible oil was Tk 140 per litre. This week as well, the prices of onions, green chili, potato, papaya, brinjal, cucumber, pumpkin increased by Tk 10-20 per kilogram. Also read: Covid claims 112 more lives in Bangladesh; positivity rate hits 23.97% Saiful Islam, a trader in Sandha Bazar in Sher-e-Bangla Road, said the prices of all vegetables and essentials were going up. The strict lockdown in the district leaves no room for the prices of essentials to decline. Meanwhile, in different retail markets of the town, lentils were selling at Tk 75-120 against last week’s prices of Tk 70-110. Amid the soaring prices, consumers sought the intervention of the higher authorities for price monitoring.

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.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday voiced deep worries over the growing price hike of essentials and alleged that a government-backed syndicate is behind it. "We’re very worried that the prices of essential commodities, including rice, pulses and salt, have already gone up ahead of the Ramadan,” he said at a virtual press conference. The BNP leader said, “The government has failed to control the market as it’s involved with the syndicate that raises prices. The government-backed people have made the syndicate for increasing the prices.” Also read: Prices in kitchen markets on the up ahead of Ramadan Fakhrul alleged that BNP leaders and activists are being arrested and implicated in cases as part of a ruling party plot to eliminate the party and thwart its ongoing movement. He also presented statistics on the filing of cases in different places against BNP leaders and activists over the last few days. The BNP leader criticised the government for arresting their party executive committee member advocate Nipun Roy charge of involvement in the recent violence. “Nipun Roy is a working lawyer, an active human rights activist and a conscious politician. She can’t have any involvement in any terrorist activities. It's a completely conspiratorial and fabricated and false charge,” Fakhrul said. Also read: BNP leader Nipun Roy arrested in city He demanded the withdrawal of the case filed against opposition leaders and activists and the release of those arrested. He alleged that the government has failed to raise awareness among people to encourage them to maintain health safety rules to contain the surge in coronavirus infection. The BNP leader said though the ruling party leaders are keeping themselves protected from the deadly virus staying at their homes, they are pushing the common people to get out of their houses.

When it comes to vegetables, the general rule is that you pay less in winter than in summer. But this season, the drop in mercury has failed to cool off the prices of essentials in the kitchen markets of the capital.

The prices of different essentials including vegetables jumped sharply in the capital as supply chains have been disrupted due to heavy rain and recent flood across the country.

Although the prices of some essential items, including ginger and garlic, have come down at the wholesale market in the capital for lack of customers amid bad weather and lockdown, those were still selling at higher prices at retail markets.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed  on Wednesday ordered senior police officials to strictly control price hike of essential commodities during the upcoming Ramadan.