United News of Bangladesh

As the scent of winter promises relief, the fresh produce markets of Dhaka are delivering a different kind of jolt: sudden and sharp price hikes on essential food items. For the city's ordinary citizens, this surge in the cost of living is a heartbreaking compromise between family needs and financial reality. The recent spike in prices for both seasonal vegetables and proteins is placing an immediate and heavy burden on middle and low-income families, with a simple trip to the market becoming a source of anxiety. The struggles reported by consumers and small traders across the capital show a widening gap between market reality and the goal of price stability pursued by bodies like the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP). Read more: Winter fails to cool prices as Khulna kitchen markets see fresh hikes Reality of the Market The escalating prices are not abstract figures; they are deeply personal crises. Md. Dulal, a security guard, shared his heartache over a family craving. "The duck meat is now selling for Tk 500 per kilogram. My children had their hearts set on it, but with the price going up, it's out of our reach now. It's simply a luxury we cannot afford." The protein crisis extends to fish as well. Md. Mainuddin, a fish trader himself, noted the extreme costs for premium catches. "A one-kilogram Hilsa fish goes for Tk 2,800, and a large Rupchanda fish is Tk 1,200 per kg, which is far too high for the average buyer, even if other fishes are slightly lower in price."

The consumer market surveillance team of the Directorate of National Consumers' Rights Protection (DNCRP) and a special task force have been conducting raids against market manipulation and the price hike of goods. On Wednesday, raids were carried out in all divisions and districts of the country, including Dhaka Metropolitan area, to stabilize the prices of daily necessities such as onions, sugar, and edible oil, ensuring a normal supply, according to a press release. In the Dhaka Metropolitan Area, market surveillance activities were conducted in different areas of the city by six teams led by six officers from the department. A total of 100 organisations were fined a total of Tk 518,500 during a campaign conducted by 45 teams of the Department across 35 districts of the country, read the release. ACC to start probe against ‘big fish’ soon: New Commissioner Representatives from both government and private sector organisations, including district and upazila administrations, were present during the raids. All these efforts, including the DNCRP raids, will continue nationwide to protect consumer rights, it added.  

In a bid to ensure price stability and a steady supply of essential goods, the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has conducted market drives across 21 districts, imposing fines of Tk 4,70,500 on 61 businesses for various irregularities. In a media release, the DNCRP said that Thursday’s operations focused on key essential items like potatoes, vegetables, eggs, broiler chickens, lentils, onions, garlic, ginger and edible oils. Special task forces spearheaded the initiative, conducting drives in Dhaka Metropolitan areas and other districts simultaneously. In Dhaka, seven teams led by DNCRP officials inspected markets and oversaw pricing compliance. Across the country, a total of 32 teams carried out similar monitoring activities. Read: E-commerce business must be sustained to build Smart Bangladesh: DNCRP DG The market monitoring drive aimed to address irregularities and prevent unfair practices amid rising concerns about essential commodity prices. The DNCRP said that their ongoing drives are part of a broader effort to protect consumer rights and maintain stability in the supply chain.

Soybean oil is still selling at the previous rate of Tk192 per liter arguing that the supply of reduced rate edible is not available in the market yet. Both the wholesalers and retailers said they are selling soybean oil on Tuesday, which was bought earlier. The soybean oil at the reduced rate is not available in the market. Read: Bottled soybean oil to cost Tk 14 less per litre from tomorrow Rupak Saha, a wholesaler of Karwan Bazar told UNB that the soybean oil with the reduced tariff will be available within the next 2 days due to a supply chain problem. Although the refiners announced tariff cut for both open and bottled products with effect from Tuesday (today), both categories of soybean oil is selling at the previous rates bottled at Tk 192 per liter and open at Tk 175 per liter, as the refiners are not deducting price for the already supplied soybean oil, he said. Director General of Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) AHM Shafiquzzaman said that their monitoring teams are working at the field level to ensure the new tariff on soybean oil. He hoped that the new rate is already effective in the mill gate and it will be effective at the consumers’ level within the shortest possible time. Read: TCB to procure 2.25 litres of soybean oil, 15,000 mts of lentil for OMS Bangladesh Vegetable Oil Refiners and Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (BVORBMA), announced a price drop of soybean oil on Monday with the effect from Tuesday. As per the announcement, the price of open soybean oil will be Tk 158 per liter, bottled soybean at Tk 178 per liter, and 5 liters of bottled soybean at Tk 880.