CHATTOGRAM, Mar 3, 2025 (BSS) - Prices of essential commodities, particularly the kitchen and grocery items, in Chattogram have remained under control despite efforts of profiteers to create artificial crisis at the beginning of the holy Ramadan. 

During the last two days, the prices of most demanded commodities as well as kitchen items witnessed a gradual rise slightly although the prices of many items were under control earlier and consumers were seen heaving a sigh of relief due to unforeseen price fall ahead of Ramadan. 

Market sources blamed the unethical attempt by unscrupulous syndicates and small profiteering- rackets, which suddenly started playing with the prices by creating artificial crisis in the commodity markets.  

However, prices of many products are still at tolerable level due mainly to regular strict market supervision and monitoring by the District Administration's Market Monitoring Taskforce and the Consumer Rights Department. 

The racket is active centering edible oil, particularly over bottled soybean oil, which almost was disappeared suddenly from the stores and grocery shops. 

According to market sources, large business groups are blamed for creating crisis of bottled soybeans oil.  In view of such a situation, the Chattogram City Corporation and the district administration have taken a strong stand to break the edible oil market syndicate. 

City Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain and Chattogram deputy commissioner Farida Khanom along with senior officials of the concerned departments visited the Khatungonj and Chaktai areas, the country’s largest wholesale commodity hub, to see for themselves the market situation and reason behind price escalation and shortage of edible oil. 

During the visit, the mayor and the DC during to the stockers, dealers, wholesalers as well as the retailers and asked them to keep product prices at a tolerable level and display the price list visible to buyers. 

They strictly warned the dealers and wholesalers against any attempt to price manipulation and adulteration of essential items, including edible oil. 

District administration sources said that a meeting has been called with major edible oil importing and marketing companies at the Circuit House on Tuesday morning (tomorrow) to discuss the edible oil issue and to ensure their adequate supply to prevent any artificial crisis. 

Representatives of the major edible oil importing and marketing companies like Abul Khayer, City, Meghna, T K, S Alam and S A group are asked to attend the meeting. City Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossen and Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanom, along with senior officials of the concerned government departments are scheduled to attend the meeting with the businessmen.  

During the visit to several kitchen and grocery markets, consumers as well as shop keepers have expressed their satisfaction over this year’s stable market trend of essential items before and beginning of fasting month Ramadan. Some of the buyers, at the same time, conveyed their concern over overnight price hike of some items in last few days indicating that it may gradually go to unusual level if not such trend is checked immediately.     

It was seen that although the prices of brinjal, green chili, lemon, cucumber, chicken, fish and meat have increased slightly over the course of a week, the price levels are much lower than the last year’s Ramadan. 

On the first two days of Ramadan (Sunday and Monday),  people were seen bargaining for 'fasting products' in Chattogram city's Bahaddarhat, Kazir Dewri Bazar, Battery Goli Bazar, Chawkbazar, Riazuddin Bazar.

People from upper-class families shop at the city's Kazir Deuri Bazaar. Five hundred meters away, there is Battery Goli Bazaar, where middle and low-income people visit more.

 In these two big markets, buyers said that the prices of brinjal, green chili, lemon, cucumber, chicken, fish and meat, which are most demanded kitchen products during Ramadan, have gradually increased over the past week. Buyers criticized the government for what they said failing to break some very profit-hungry syndicates.

During the visit to the city’s Bahaddarhat, Chawkbazar and Battery Goli markets, it was found that potatoes are being sold at Tk 25-30 per kg, cauliflower (a piece) at Tk 40-50, cabbage (a piece) at Tk 20-25, tomatoes at Tk 25-30 (per Kg), brinjal  at Tk 30-60 per kg, Borboti at Tk 80 per kg, ladies finger at Tk 100-110 per kg, bean sprouts at Tk 100-110 per kg, sweet pumpkin at Tk 40 per kg, bitter gourd at Tk 80 per kg, papaya at Tk 40 per kg and radish at Tk 25-30 per kg.

With the beginning of Ramadan, the prices of pickles, cucumbers, green chilies and coriander leaves have also increased. Pickles and cucumbers are being sold in the market at Tk 60-80 per kg and green chilies at Tk 60 per kg.

A private employee Kamal Uddin at Battery Goli said, “I always shop at Battery Goli market near my house. Everyone has relieved that the prices of vegetables are low for the last two months.”

“Now, keeping the fasting month in mind, shopkeepers are charging Tk 10-20 more for vegetables. So far, the prices of many products are at tolerable level in this Ramadan compared to the past few years,” he added.

However, he said that the prices of fish, meat and chicken have not decreased. On the other hand, farm chicken is being sold at Tk 200-210 per kg, Sonali at Tk 300-330 per kg and local chicken at Tk 600-650 per kg.

Mutton (Khasi) is being sold at TK 1100 per kg, beef (with bones) at Tk 750 per kg, beef (without bones) at Tk 900-950 per kg. According to buyers and sellers, the prices of broiler and Sonali chicken have increased by Tk 10 to 20 per kg after a week. 

Similarly, the price of Sonali chicken was Tk 280-310 per kg. Selim Kabir, a resident of Mehedibagh in the city who buy kitchen products regularly from Kazir Deuri Market said a week ago, chicken was sold at Tk 185-190 per kg.

Sadek, a chicken seller in Battery Goli, said, “We buy and sell here. There is no opportunity to make much profit. Farmers are also not making hefty profit. Basically, big syndicates control the chicken business. Those who produce day-old chicks and chicken feed the controlled the market. If the government controls the syndicates, there is an opportunity to fall the prices of chicken."

The price of fish has increased slightly in the market in a week. Local rui (1.5 to 2 kg live) is being sold at Tk 420-450, imported rui (2 to 3 kg) at Tk 330-350.

Jamal Uddin, a fish trader at Riazuddin Bazar, said that the supply of fish in the market is normal. However, the demand for fish has increased with the arrival of Ramadan. Therefore, the price is slightly higher than the last week, he added. 

Besides, the prices of katla, briget carp, mala fish, shoal fish, and hilsha have also slightly increased. 

On the other hand, there is still crisis of soybean oil in the market and buyers have to pay up to Tk 15-25 more per liter. According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the price of open soybean oil was increased by Tk 15 to 17 per liter in the last one month. It is now being sold at Tk 185-190 per liter.

The price of bottled soybean oil is being sold at Tk 175 per liter. The price of a five-liter bottle is Tk 852. However, in some cases, retailers are charging Tk 1,000 to 1,100 for a five-liter bottle.

The price of onions in the retail market is also higher than that of the wholesale market. The onion is being sold at Tk 50 per kg in the retail market. Indian onion is being sold at Tk 70-80 in the retail market against the wholesale rate of Tk 60.

The owner of Jiban Grocery in Kazir Deuri Bazar said the supply of bottled soybean oil is very low due to which retailers are not able to sell soybean oil according to the demand of the buyers.

The Department of Agricultural Extension (DSE) said that this year, there was a bumper harvest in the production of khira, brinjal, tomato and other vegetables in Chattogram during the rabi season. About 56 thousand tons of winter vegetables (including brinjal, tomato) were produced. On the other hand, khira was produced at 978 tons and chilli at 5,174 tons.

Senior Assistant Commissioner of the Chattogram District Administration Office Md. Abu Raihan said that executive magistrates are monitoring the markets in the metropolis and every upazila through the market monitoring taskforce of the district administration.
He said that various steps have been taken to control market prices and break unscrupulous syndicates.

National Consumer Rights Chattogram Deputy Director Faiz Ullah said, “Our surveillance campaign is already underway against artificial crisis of oil and storing it to sell excessive prices. Many hoarders have been fined. We have warned them and strict action will be taken against such activities in the future.”