Prices of 29 daily necessities, including fish, meat, veggie, pulses and spices, from producer to retail level are now fixed in latest government bid to reign over the market during Ramadan.
A Department of Agriculture Marketing (DAM) notification issued Friday states that government agencies concerned will ensure the sale of such products as per a DAM-designed price chart.
"Under Section 4 (Jha) of the Agricultural Marketing Act 2018, the Department of Agriculture Marketing has determined the reasonable prices of agricultural produce," says the handout, authorised by DAM director-general Md Masud Karim.
Prices from producer to wholesale to retail have been fixed by the executive order carried in the notification.
The MRP or maximum retail price of beef has been fixed at Tk 665 against its current rate of Tk 750-800 a kilogram in the capital city, Dhaka.
According to the new pricing, chickpea and khesari pulses will sell at a maximum rate of Tk 93 a kg, which is now Tk 110-140 a kg in the groceries.
Besides, the price of khasi (meat of castrated goat) has been fixed at Tk 1003 and cultured pangas at Tk 181 a kg. Mutton now sells at Tk 1100 and this fish at Tk 220-300 a kg.
Lentil price for finer quality has been set at Tk 130 a kg by the DAM against Tk 160-165 a kg in the city markets as of now, while lentil coarse has been fixed at Tk 105.5 a kg against Tk 120-125 a kg in the groceries.
Prices of onions have been pegged at Tk 65 a kg, which is now Tk 80-90.
The DAM director-general said they fixed the prices from farm level to wholesale to retail after considering all key factors in the total value chain.
"We have taken into consideration costs of production/import, operating costs, profit margins and other factors while setting the prices," Mr Masud Karim added.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) vice-president SM Nazer Hossain says it is one of the several measures the government agencies have taken so far before and during Ramadan to bring checks and balances in the market manners.
"But, unfortunately, most of the initiatives have gone in vain as cost of hardly any of essentials showed any decline after a rise," he adds.
He notes that the DAM has done its duty but its implementation would totally depend on the commerce and home ministries as well as on the local administration.
He says the organisation (DAM) has fixed prices from producer to retailer levels which is "a unique thing to do".
He thinks government agencies like the Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) will get a good base in market drive for such comprehensive price fixing.
However, the FE correspondent couldn't get immediate comments from the commerce ministry or DNCRP on their preparation to implement the new price chart.
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