Food prices doubled at DU hall canteens

A number of hall canteens at Dhaka University have been charging the students almost double price for the food since the first day of holy Ramadan while the authorities and the student leaders have yet to take any noteworthy action in this regard. After visiting the canteens of 19 residential halls, it was found that almost all the canteen owners have doubled the food price since the beginning of Ramadan and in some cases canteens of different halls are charging different prices for the same food. Apart from some specific halls, the canteen owners do not even have the permission to increase the food price. At Haji Muhammad Muhsin Hall of the University, the canteen authorities are charging Tk50 to Tk70 for a regular meal (rice with fish, chicken or beef) which was usually served at Tk30 to Tk40 before Ramadan. Helal Uddin, a masters student of Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall said the canteen owners have been charging almost double price for the food throughout the Ramadan while the quality of food has not improved. Authorities of Bijoy Ekator Hall, Shaheed Sergeant Jahurul Haque Hall, Palli Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall, Fazlul Huque Muslim Hall and Amar Ekushey Hall had fixed the food price within the range of Tk40-50 per meal during Ramadan and the canteen owners of these halls dropped the quality of food to adjust with the given price range. Female students Rokeya Hall, Shamsunnahar Hall, Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall, Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall and Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib Hall have raised similar complaints regarding the food price hike. Trisha Ahsan, a master’s student of Shasunnahar Hall said the quality of food in the hall canteens is getting worse day by day, yet they are increasing the price.” However, canteen manager of Haji Muhammad Muhsin Hall Abdul Baten said they had increased the price due to improved food quality and higher prices of essential commodities. “We are serving Miniket instead of other low-quality rice that was previously served.” The manager of Sir A F Rahman Hall Md Babul said they were trying to maintain the food quality within their range.