An air-conditioner had become urgent for Shahed Mehbub as his two children cannot sleep at night due to the abnormal rise of temperature that continued for the last few weeks.
The executive of a private firm, who earns Tk47,000 per month, went to the Bangabandhu National Stadium Market in the capital in the first week of this month to buy an AC, but failed due to meager budget than the appliance price.
Again he went to the market last week to buy a one-tonne AC, but found the price shoot up abnormally. He had to buy two air coolers, instead. “The vendors have created an artificial crisis of ACs to jack up prices as the temperature is rising gradually,” Mehbub said.
“The AC, which I wanted to buy during my first visit at Tk48,000, is now selling at Tk63,000 per unit. We are helpless as my children have to be safe from diseases,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
He was compelled to buy two air-coolers each worth Tk13,000 – double the price he first checked at the same outlet. “I’ve been cheated,” he said.
The city has been witnessing high temperature from the last one month due to lack of rainfall which has forced many citizens to buy air cooling appliances to meet their needs.
The vendors are taking advantage of the helpless people, alleged many of the intending buyers, who were roving around the stadium market yesterday.
