The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

In the wake of abnormal price hike, the outlets of open market sale (OMS) of rice have now become the last resort for poor and low-income group of people.

However, since the demand has gone beyond the supply, many of these people have not been getting rice waiting in long queues for hours.

On the other hand, prices of rice at retail market have now virtually become uncontrollable.

Noted economist and Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) president Prof Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman termed the price hike of rice everyday as a "profit-mongering attitude" of the rice traders.

"The rice traders have understood that the government has not enough stock of rice in hands, and fresh import of rice will take time," he said.

Moreover, they know if the government wants to import rice, it would have to pay high prices. "That's why the traders have raised the prices of rice taking advantage of the situation," he said.

Dr Kholiquzzaman said it is true that the prices of rice have increased in the international market. But, the rice which is now available in the markets was bought at lower prices earlier. "Since there is no adequate stock of rice in the hands of the government, it has become very difficult to control the rice prices in retail markets," he said.

The noted economist observed that the rice prices were unlikely to go down despite the bumper harvest of boro rice crops.

"After the harvest of boro paddy, supply of rice to the markets may slightly increase. Rice crisis may somewhat be offset. But, the price is unlikely to fall, because farmers spend more than Tk 20 for production of a kilogram of boro rice," he said.

Dr Kholiquzzaman said, it is impossible for farmers to sell their boro rice at lower prices. Farmers will not be interested to cultivate boro rice in the next season unless they get fair prices of their rice. So, consumers will subsequently have to buy rice paying more than Tk 25 for each kilogram of rice from retail markets. Since there is not enough money in the hands of poor and ultra-poor, many of they would not be able to afford to buy rice at Tk 25 per kg.

"So, the Government should take necessary initiatives to make rice available to these vast majority of poor people, if necessary, providing subsidies. Apart from OMS operation, the government should take necessary steps to strengthen the distribution system. The government may build up its food stock to cope with the crisis. It should also take necessary measures to procure rice from farmers at fair prices. Otherwise, traders or even farmers may tend to hoarding rice for making extra profits," he cautioned.

Meanwhile, rice prices went up again by Tk 20 to Tk 30 per maund at the Babubazar, Badamtoli, Moulvibazar, Chotokatra and Rahmatganj wholesale markets yesterday. Traders as usual complained of shortage in supply. Apart from the prices of red lentil, which have reached record high, prices of all kinds of edible oil and sugar have also gone up.

Rezia Begum and Sahera Khatun came from Jinjira to the city's Palassey Market yesterday to buy coarse rice at Tk 25 per kg from the OMS outlets. Five kilograms of rice allotted by the government cannot meet their demand as the number of the members in their families is comparatively high.

Sujit Saha is a security guard of Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University. His son Apurba studies at Nilkhet School. Since the school was closed yesterday Apurba went to the Nilkhet OMS Centre along with his father to buy more five kilograms of rice.

Abdul Quddus runs a mess at Azimpur. His mess members are the employees working at different shops. He also went to an OMS outlet to buy rice at lower price.

Iqbal, a CNG driver went to buy rice at the OMS outlet at Palassey Market. As he has to deposit a higher amount to the CNG owner for running the vehicle, Iqbal has become helpless after prices of rice have gone up in retail market.

On the other hand, dining charges at hostels of different colleges have gone up following the rice price hike in retail markets. Besides, the quality of food has substantially declined.

Apart from increasing the OMS outlets in the city, people, particularly the low-income group has urged the government to reduce the price of OMS rice as they have been facing great difficulties to buy one kilogram of rice paying Tk 25 at the OMS outlets.