People are in crisis when the prices of essential commodities suddenly go up for no reason. The Corona situation has created an economic recession worldwide, which has significantly impacted the capital Dhaka.
The prices of all the essential commodities starting from rice are skyrocketing in the capital market. According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), prices of important items have risen by about 19.64% in one month. Within a month, prices have never grown so much.
At present, the poor, middle, and upper-middle-class are enjoying unrestrained prices in the daily necessities market. The cost of thick rice for two meals of poor people has reached Rs 50 per kg. The prices of other things in the market with rice increase at a proportional rate. As a result, farmers, workers, day laborers, and low-income people are most affected. In the post-Corona period, the amount of human income has decreased a lot, which has created a vast disparity in income and expenditure. The government must now take drastic measures to control the market and keep commodity prices within reach of the people.
A private employee Billal Hossain said the new price hike had exacerbated the plight of low- and low-income people facing various problems in the epidemic. They are already struggling to survive with skyrocketing prices.
At present, the economic condition of the commoner is deteriorating. Besides rice and pulses, the prices of flour, sugar, curry, fish, and meat are increasing day by day, in some cases beyond the purchasing power of the people. Ordinary people are going to the bottom of the poverty line. Not just the poor, the daily life of people from the middle class to the upper-middle class has become complicated. Unscrupulous and greedy traders’ syndicates are raising prices by stocking up on goods. As a result, there is an artificial shortage of essential commodities in the market.
The government has to adopt zero-tolerance against the greedy profiteering syndicate. To suppress this cheap class, regular mobile court campaigns have to be conducted. In addition, regular market monitoring should be arranged with a firm hand. If the allegations are proved, the traders will have to be jailed or fined sooner. A sudden rise in commodity prices creates instability in public life. Therefore, the government has to bring back peace in public life by controlling commodity prices through fair market control.
