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The prices of essential commodities have marked a rise in the port city ahead of Ramadan.
As retailers are hiking prices, the market monitoring teams are being active just ahead of Ramadan.
But, consumers alleged that the prices of essential commodities have been hiked since the beginning of February.
Talking with The Financial Express, they also alleged that traders have taken a new policy to hike the prices of daily essentials.
Traders have started to hike the commodity prices from the first week of February. The prices have gone up ahead of Shab-e-Barat."
They already hiked Tk 01-05 per kg of essential products like sugar and other essentials every day, causing immense sufferings for the price hike," said a buyer, Mahbuba Akter, at Reajuddin Bazar in the port city told The FE.
On the other hand, retail traders said they are not involved in the hike in the prices of daily essentials.
Nur Mohammed Badshah, a retail trader of Reajuddin Bazar, said, "We're buying essential commodities from wholesale markets at high prices."
"We're selling essentials with 10-15 percent profit. If we have to buy at high prices, we have to sell at high prices."
"But, the price hike of essential commodities ahead of Ramadan is under control till now," he added.
The prices of daily essential commodities are heating up in the market now. Although the supply is normal, a class of traders have increased the prices.
No vegetables are found selling below Tk 60 per kg in Chattogram.
The prices of brinjal cucumbers and lemons are being sold at higher prices in the port city.
The chilli price is also increasing every day. Lemon price is also higher ahead of Ramadan. Besides, the prices of rice, pulse, sugar, onion, garlic, ginger and puffed rice have also marked an increase in prices.
SM Najer Hossain, Chattogram divisional president of the Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), expressed concern over the price spiral of daily essentials as syndicates are controlling the market.
"There is no reason to hike the prices of daily essentials as there will be sufficient imports of essential commodities in Ramadan," he added.
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