Despite the government's recent price control measures on eggs, and broiler chickens, consumers in Dhaka are facing inflated prices for eggs, particularly, while poultry prices remain relatively stable.
Five days ago, the Department of Livestock Services set price controls on eggs, broiler chickens, and Sonali chickens in an effort to protect consumers.
A visit to Mohammadpur Town Hall Market on Friday (20 September) showed that while poultry prices are adhering to these controls, eggs are still being sold at inflated rates.
Sonali chickens were being sold at Tk270 per kilogramme, broiler chickens at Tk180, local chickens at Tk550, local ducks at Tk650, and pigeons between Tk160 to Tk170 apiece. The government had previously set the price for Sonali chickens at Tk269.64 per kilogramme and broiler chickens at Tk179.59 per kilogramme.
When asked whether poultry prices would remain stable, Shariful Islam, proprietor of Zamzam Chicken House, told Bangladesh First, "The price of chicken has not decreased. We are selling at the same rate as last week. However, we have heard rumours of a price hike in the coming days. There is no possibility of prices decreasing."
However, the situation with eggs remains dire, as they continue to be sold at higher prices. Despite the government fixing the retail price at Tk11.87 per egg, they were being sold at Tk55 per set of four, making each egg Tk13.75.
When questioned about why he wasn’t selling eggs at the government-set price, one egg seller, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "We purchase eggs at Tk12.70-12.80 apiece. How can we sell at the government-fixed rate? Setting a price is not enough if wholesale prices don’t decrease. We sell at a small markup from what we buy at wholesale. If wholesale prices drop, we too can sell at lower prices."
In addition to the poultry and egg situation, vegetable prices were also observed to be high. Aubergines were selling for Tk100 per kilogramme, string beans for Tk200, local cucumbers for Tk80, hybrid cucumbers for Tk60, bitter gourds for Tk80, pointed gourds for Tk60, okra for Tk80, and spiny gourds for Tk100 per kilogramme.
In this historic market, bottle gourds were being sold at Tk60 each, cabbages at Tk70 per head, and medium-sized lemons at Tk50 per set of four.
The prices of onions and potatoes remained unchanged. Depending on quality, onions were selling for Tk115 to Tk125 per kilogramme, while potatoes were priced at Tk60 per kilogramme. Ginger was priced at Tk300 per kilogramme, and garlic at Tk240.
Amid this surge in prices, many shoppers expressed disappointment. Despite the fall of the autocratic Awami League and the dissolution of syndicates, commodity prices have not dropped, sparking frustration among consumers.
One such shopper, Ahmed Hossain, a middle-aged man, had come early in the morning with his son to purchase fresh vegetables. He was seen negotiating over the price of cabbages. Initially, the vendor quoted Tk160 for two heads of cabbage but refused to lower the price below Tk140. Despite Hossain offering Tk120 and later Tk130, the vendor stood firm, stating, "Take it or leave it. No further bargaining." Left with no choice, Hossain eventually bought the cabbages at the quoted price.
When asked about the prices of essential goods, Ahmed Hossain told Bangladesh First, "The government has changed, but I see no impact here. Prices are still the same as they were before. So, what was the point of all the struggle and the fight?"
He added, "Governments come and go, but our income doesn’t increase. We had hoped that prices would drop under the new government, but now it seems unlikely. I also haven’t seen any sign of such efforts."
According to sources from the Detective Branch (DB), eight murder cases have been filed against Moshiur Rahman. However, it remains unclear under which specific case he has been arrested.
