The New Nation - Internet Edition

Talha Bin Habib

The BDR-run fair-price shops in the city remain closed for four days from June 6 yesterday to June 9 as the government stopped subsidy on coarse rice catered by the paramilitary force from these outlets in the wake of price hike.

Official sources said the government decision forced closure of 75 outlets run by the troops of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) from yesterday in the city.

The rice was sold at Tk 25 per kilogram at the 'Fair Price Outlets' under operation 'Dal-bhat', cheaper than prices on the overheated open market. Poor people were the buyers of this coarse variety of rice.

The Director General of BDR, Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed, in an interview with a private TV channel yesterday said they (BDR) would start selling rice at Tk 30 per kg after reopening of the BDR shopping outlets on June 10.

He said as the Government had withdrawn the subsidy on rice, it is not possible for the paramilitary force BDR to sell rice at Tk 25 per kg.

Thousands of men, women and children returned empty-handed yesterday from the 75 outlets so far run by BDR men under operation 'Dal-bhat' programme in the city.

"I hoped that the prices of rice would fall to a tolerable level after harvesting of Boro. But it did not happen. And now that the BDR has closed shop, where shall we go?" questioned a rickshaw puller.

Under the circumstances the lower income group people were forced to buy rice in high price that had added extra financial burden on their meagre income.

Meanwhile, the prices of vegetables and fish have slightly decreased yesterday, as the supply was adequate.

But the prices of soyabean oil and powder milk and other perishable items like egg, broiler chicken meat remained unchanged.

While visiting different kitchen markets this Correspondent found people of different income groups were upset over the high trend of rice prices.

Rice traders at Babu Bazar said erratic power supply in the rice mills caused disturbances in smooth rice processing, which had contributed to the tight supply of rice in the markets.

They said the Government rice procurement drive and growers reluctance to sell paddy at lower prices did not let the price come down.

They, however, forecast that there was no possibility of a further increase in the rice prices but would remain the same.

As per market survey yesterday coarse variety rice like 'lata' was selling between Tk 32 and Tk 33 per kg. 'Pari' at Tk 32 to Tk 33 per kg. Fine quality of nazirshail rice was selling at Tk 36 to Tk 40 per kg, minicate at Tk 38 to Tk 43 per kg, while 'sarna' and 'paijam' were selling at Tk 34 and Tk 37 per kg and 'BR-29' at Tk 34 to Tk 36 per kg.

Local variety of lentils was selling at Tk 98 to Tk 102 per kg and imported ones at Tk 85 per kg in the retail markets. Soybean oil was sold at Tk 110 to Tk 112 per kg.

Different brands of five litre-canned soyabean were selling at Tk 565 to 570. Sugar was at Tk 32 to Tk 33 per kg. Per hali (4-pieces) of eggs was at Tk 22 to Tk 24.

The price of chicken was Tk 115 to Tk 120 per kg. Green chilli was selling at Tk 20 to Tk 25 per kg, potato at Tk 13 to Tk 14, cucumber at Tk 18 to Tk 20, korola at Tk 22 to Tk 24, tomato at Tk 24 to Tk 28 and barbati at Tk 16 to Tk 20 and jingha at Tk 20 to Tk 22 per kg.

The price of different types of fish still remain high as Ruhi was selling at Tk 150 to Tk 180, medium size Hilsha at Tk 280 to Tk 300. Prices of red meat like beef was at Tk 180,while mutton at Tk 250 to Tk 260 per kg.