Price monitoring: No tangible operation in kitchen markets

UNB, Dhaka

While people are preparing provision for Ramadan, likely to commence on Aug 22 or 23, the government-planned price-monitoring activities in Dhaka's kitchen markets are yet to gather momentum. Although the price chart of essential commodities in every kitchen market in the city was supposed to show the prices from today, but most of the price charts of Dhaka City Corporation in 27 kitchen markets went blank as of Wednesday."We are not directed from any authority of the government to monitor display of retail and wholesale prices in the remaining chart in front of the market," Hatirpul Bazar Samity secretary Motaleb Hossain told visiting UNB staff writer Maruf Hasan.Recently, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan urged all wholesalers and retailers in the country to display price charts of several essential commodities from last Monday. He also directed the respective district authorities to monitor the markets so that price charts for the shoppers can be ensured. The essential commodities' prices are on the up despite adequate supply to the city's markets by wholesalers and retailers, as a section of businesspeople are capitalizing on consumers' growing demand ahead of Ramadan.Five-litre containers of soybean oil of different brands were selling at Tk 385-405 on the retail market. They were selling between Tk 375 and Tk 390 some days ago. In retail, non-canned palm oil was selling at Tk 64-66 per kg, super palm at Tk 67-70 and soybean at Tk 73-78 per kg. The prices of edible oils at retailer's level increased by Tk 2-5 per kg over the last week, traders said. "The price of every essential item went up about Tk 3-4 within few days on the retail market," said Majeda Begum, a housewife.Asked about the price-chart display, Majeda said she didn't know about the chart-the sellers didn't follow any chart of price. On the city's retail market today, onion (Indian) was selling at TK 24-25 and local onion at TK 40 per kg while potato at Tk 28, Dal at Tk 115 and Green Chili at Tk 80 per kilo.