The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Terming the present market price situation 'tolerable', the wholesalers and retailers yesterday said the prices of most of the essential commodities are lower this year compared to Ramzan prices last year.

They said the prices of essentials commodities would further come down in the coming days. "There is less possibility of price hike of commodities during the month of Ramzan," they said.

Their observation came at a meeting with the leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at the conference room of the apex trade body in the city. Annisul Huq, President of FBCCI presided over the meeting.

Some businessmen said they have lowered the prices of sugar and soyabean oil as their prices are declining in the international markets.

They were happy to note that the price monitoring by the FBCCI has created awareness among the businessmen not to push up the prices of essentials irrationally. However, retailers complained that most of the wholesalers did not provide them money receipt when they purchase vegetable items from them.

"The prices of commodities are now at tolerable level and the situation is not that we need to ask the law enforcing agencies for containing the price hike," said Annisul Huq.

He said that the price stability in the markets was dependent on the smooth supply of commodities, awareness of people and cooperation among all concerned.

"If we try concertedly, the prices of essentials will come down within a short time," he said adding that the businessmen also need to earn reasonable profits.

"Business community has followed our request and subsequently the prices of essentials are now coming down to a tolerable level," said Kamaluddin Ahmed, director and convenor of FBCCI Market Price Monitoring Taskforce.

He said the initiative that the country's apex trade body has taken would continue.

The FBCCI monitoring cell conducted a market survey yesterday that showed that the green chilli was sold between Tk 34 to Tk 35 per kg at Karwan Bazar and Tk 38 to Tk 40 at Sham Bazar, potato at Tk 12 to Tk 13 at Karwan Bazar and Tk 11to Tk 12 per kg at Sham Bazar and aubergine at Tk 30 to Tk 32 at Karwan Bazar and Tk 18 to Tk 30 at Sham Bazar yesterday which was gradually reducing in the last few days.

The meeting was also attended among others, by Shafkat Haider, director and also member of FBCCI Market Price Monitoring Taskforce, Major Rawshanun Feroz, of BDR, Golam Mostafa, Chairman of Desbandhu Sugar Mill, Manzoor Ahmed, Advisor of FBCCI, Md Golam Maula, General Secretary of Moulvi Bazar Businessmen Association, Abdul Latif, President of Karwan Bazar Arotdar Samity, Faisal Ahmed Majumder, General Secretary of Malibagh Kitchen Market, Md Shamsul Huq Dewan, Secretary of Mohammadpur Kitchen Market, Md Sawkat Hossain Kanon, General Secretary, Fakirapool Kitchen Markets, Md Shafiqul Islam, General Secretary of Bangladesh Lentils Businessmen Association and Alhaj Md Mohsin Uddin Bulu, secretary of Sham Bazar Businessmen Association.