Md. Rayhan Ali

The unbridled rise in commodity prices has brought worry to the lower middle class. The income of the low-income people does not match the expenditure calculation. Many people who go to the daily market are returning home with less than the demand, carrying the market bag has become a nuisance.

It is as if a silent famine has appeared in the public mind. Inflation eased to around 1 per cent in September, but commodity prices in the market rose at an unusual rate. The population of Bangladesh is mainly rural, about 80 percent of the population lives in rural areas. Even in the rural environment today the touch of modernity has started but the price of daily commodities of the people is slowly going beyond the purchasing power.

After the uprising of the students on August 5, DrThe interim government is headed by Muhammad Yunus. State reform works are going on in stages. State Reform Commission has been constituted. The Cabinet Department has issued a notification setting up five commissions out of the six commissions already announced for state reforms. A notification in this regard was issued by the Cabinet Department. Then they were published in gazette form.

The five commissions are - Electoral Reforms Commission, Judiciary Reforms Commission, Anti-Corruption Reforms Commission, Police Reforms Commission, Public Administration Reforms Commission. However, the Gazette of the Full Committee of the Constitution Reform Commission has not been published.

The most important of basic human needs are food, clothing, education, medical care, shelter and entertainment. We need to work on food self-sufficiency first and foremost in our state reform work.
There is no doubt that rising commodity prices will put pressure on the interim government, say analysts.

The latest example of price hike is the increase in the price of eggs to Tk 20 per dozen. It is not possible to reduce inflation by raising interest rates alone. Bangladesh Bank says they are trying to control inflation by raising interest rates. But analysts think that this is not enough.

Mushtaq Khan said, "It's not like people are increasing inflation by borrowing money from banks. The syndicates must be stopped. Maybe the syndicate is still working in the market. If these syndicates continue to operate, they must be broken. The big syndicate owners who are sitting with thousands of crores of rupees and they control the market, you have to get your hands on that money.

Due to various global influences and rise in commodity prices, the lower middle class and low income people are struggling to run their families day by day. Prices of daily commodities are going beyond the reach of purchasing power. Low income people are almost struggling to run their families. There is no relief in the unbridled commodity market. The prices of daily necessities are increasing by leaps and bounds.

After eggs and meat, the price of pangas, known as 'poor man's meat', has increased. Along with that, the price of other fish is also increased. The sellers are unable to say anything about the reason for the sudden increase in the price of everything. On the other hand, in the market of this rise in commodity prices, there is increasing discomfort and decreasing happiness and peace in the families who are running their families somehow.

Analysts have put many reasons behind the creation of these conditions. One of the reasons is the adverse economic impact of the global epidemic of Covid-19, the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war, the continuation of the Israel-Palestine war, floods, extreme rains, droughts and other natural disasters, causing damage to agriculture.

"On Friday (October 11) morning, after visiting various markets in Badda-Rampura area of the capital, it was seen that pangas fish is being sold for Tk 220 to Tk 250, which is usually sold between Tk 170 to Tk 180Apart from this, rui fish is being sold in today's market for Tk 350 to Tk 400, which can usually be bought between Tk 280 to Tk 300. Not only Pangas and Rui fish, but almost all types of fish including Tilapia, Pabda, Shrimp, Hilsa have increased in price.

Generally middle and lower class people got relief from Pangas-Tilapia fish by visiting the fish market. However, it has been observed that tilapia fish is sold at Tk 250 to Tk 280 in today's market, which is usually Tk 200 to Tk 250. Apart from this, farmed koi is being sold in the market for 300 to 350, carp fish for 350-380, farmed horn for 400, sea urchin for 400-650 and byla fish for 650-700.

Apart from this, in today's market, Pabda fish is being sold at Tk 400, shrimp fish at Tk 600 to Tk 700, large size hilsa fish at Tk 2400 to Tk 2500. Meanwhile, the buyers are arguing with the sellers in the market asking for relatively higher prices of fish and meat compared to last week". (Source: Dhaka Post, October 11, 2024).

CAB says, 'Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) said that the price of eggs and chickens fixed by the government is increasing the profit of traders and cheating the common consumers. Prices are still being determined in the old way, so that even if the government changes, the market syndicate does not change.

Vegetable traders say that during the monsoons, vegetable crops get submerged, trees are damaged. Prices rise due to lower production. This time in the eastern and northern parts of the country, severe floods have caused extensive damage to crops. Besides, heavy rains from mid-September cause serious damage to vegetables. Due to the abnormal decrease in supply, it is not possible to control the price.

On the other hand, there is manipulation by traders to increase the price of some products. According to newspaper reports, the price of soybean oil has decreased by 51.52 percent in the last two quarters in the international market. Transportation costs including ship hire have also come down. If the international market and the dollar price are adjusted, the price per liter in the domestic market will be reduced by Tk 51. There is no logical reason to increase the price of rice in view of production and stock.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, commented in a post given on his own verified Facebook account, "Hasnat Abdullah wrote in that Facebook post calling on the interim government to suppress the syndicate as soon as possible, suppressing the syndicate is very expensive.Control the price.The talk of state reform will not enter the mind on an empty stomach.
Labor and Employment Adviser Asif Mahmood said that the daily commodity market syndicates are strong, but the government is in a strong position to break these syndicates.

According to experts, the decision to make Dhaka's important roads, diplomatic areas and the capital city as a whole free of child begging was very important. However, many people have questions about the way the decision has been taken at the government level and the initiatives taken to implement it.
The whole world is suffering from oil and gas, electricity and fuel crisis. Global commodity prices are on the rise, inflation is rising.

Everywhere we are going through a period of depression and crisis along with the world. The price of labor has not risen at the same rate as the price of goods. Our income has not increased at the rate at which the entire cost including the house rent is sitting on our shoulders. So we have a disappointment in our previous normal life. Everyone is trying to reduce the cost of living in various ways to fix the income-expenditure balance. People think of some relief if they have money left over after meeting their basic needs. One of the most basic needs is that people need rice in their stomachs. Our country is an agricultural country. We have always continued to try to keep the wheels of the country's economy moving depending on agriculture.

Regarding the food shortage situation, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, 'I would request everyone not to leave even 1 inch of land uncultivated in any area. Because of the economic recession that has occurred all over the world - when I went to the United Nations, there were discussions with the leaders of many countries. Talks have been held with the UN Secretary General, who are all very concerned that a severe famine may occur in 2023. A more widespread economic downturn could follow. In that case, I will say that the people of our country have to take measures from nowBy handling the situation, we have crossed the year 2023 and have reached the end of 2024.

To see the golden smiling faces of the people of Sonar Bengal, all the wheels of the economy must work together. We need to modernize the agriculture sector to meet the food shortage without panicking. Together with the world, we also want to move forward by dealing with this situation with a proper plan. World leaders continue to strive to control the world food situation.

The interim government under the leadership of our Dr. Muhammad Yunus has continued its best efforts. To deal with this situation, we should not just sit and blame the government. We have to be frugal in life, prevent wastage. In addition to increasing government initiatives, private initiatives should be accelerated.

We cannot deny that the recent flood situation has caused massive damage to agriculture. The agricultural situation in the flood affected areas is still abnormal. Due to natural calamities impact on agriculture, we are not able to meet the adequate demand of our daily produce, hence the price increase in all types of vegetable markets in the country, including the raw market. We have to concentrate on increasing the production of agriculture in controlling the market and we have to be strict in breaking the market syndicate.

The writer is a, Advocate and Columnist, Judge Court, Khulna.