Ramadan, a blessing for Muslims

FE Team | Published: July 06, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The holy month of Ramadan is on again and as feared the prices of essentials in the country have shot up a couple of times and have already gone beyond the reach of the common man. People with low income find it difficult to meet their daily needs, let alone celebrate festivities. For them, Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan hardly comes as a joyful festival. "The demand is more than the supply which is the reason behind the increasing prices", say business people. But that is clearly not the reason to push up prices overnight.
As people are grumbling against the overnight price hike, the concerned authority's reaction is more upsetting. Their reaction is so naïve as if the price is totally under control or so they speak to the media. But the reality is just the reverse. The prices of some essential commodities have increased more than double in one week before Ramadan this year. The ground reality behind this abnormal price rise is an artificial crisis created by dishonest traders as they hoard and pile up stocks in their warehouses. And the indifferent attitude of the concerned authorities is making things worse. Some common citizens complain that the authorities are not worried about this sudden price hike, because they are getting a certain amount of revenue from the increased prices. It is unfortunate if it is true. Acting in such a way during the holy month of Ramadan is against all norms of the religion. Logically speaking, the government should take up the matter on a long-term basis and adopt appropriate measures to reduce the perpetual sufferings of the people. Responsible monitoring team needs to be set up. Those responsible for unusual price hike should be brought to justice. The sufferings of the people during Ramadan will come to an end in this way and it will be a period of joy and happiness for all in the days to come.
Humaira Khatun
East West University
usha.ewu@gmail.com