Price spiral and suffering consumers

Prices of essentials often go up and middle- and low-income people are inevitably the worst sufferers. When price of a particular commodity goes down in the international market, it does not take effect in our local market. For example, price of oil has gone down in international market by a large margin, but sadly the price has not gone down in our country. Locally, the price of beef after being stable for a long time started rising during political unrest last year and it never went down again as the situation calmed down. It is being sold at Tk 400.00 per kg.

The prices of vegetables went up recently due to incessant rain which is understandable. But it is hard to accept the come-whatever-may actions of a section of unscrupulous businessmen to push prices up at their sweet will. I think the policymakers of the country have to contribute. We only hope, they will keep a sharp vigil on the traders who artificially create scarcity in the market, push up prices and make windfall gains.

Sojol Chowdhury

Middle Badda, Dhaka