Mazharul Islam is motorcycle rider for a ride-sharing app. He used to earn Tk1000-1200 per day but with the sharp rise in fuel cost he now earns Tk600-700 everyday.
“We had to increase the fare because of the fuel prices going up but that led to fewer people calling for rides,” he said.
“The impact of the hike in fuel prices is the biggest in the commodity market as the price of essential products like rice, pulses, fish, meat, vegetables and eggs has gone up as well,” he added.
Following the surge in the fuel price last week, people with fixed incomes have cut out many of the daily proteins from their diet, such as fish, meat, eggs to meet daily expenses,
After visiting the kitchen markets of the capital, it is seen that the transportation cost has increased due to the surge in fuel prices, which has affected the vegetable market. Almost every day, the price of vegetables is increasing by Tk10 to Tk20 per unit.
Moreover, prices of almost all essentials including rice, broiler chicken, eggs, sugar, onion, garlic and ginger have been experiencing new hikes every day.
Meanwhile, due to the continuous devaluation of the Taka against the US dollar, the import of food products has decreased and their prices are also rising.
The price of nazirshail rice hiked to Tk80, coarse to Tk54-57, and paijam to Tk60-65, which was around Tk5-7 less in the last week.
The price of broiler chicken increased to Tk210 per kg, sonali chicken to Tk310-320 per kg, and the price of eggs increased to Tk150 per dozen.
While visiting Karwan Bazar, there were no fish available under Tk200 per kg. The price of pangas fish (South Asian catfish), which the middle and lower-income people heavily rely on, surged along with rui (local carp), katla (major South Asian carp) , and pabda (Indian catfish).
The prices of all types of vegetables have surged by Tk20-50 per unit. Gourd was sold at Tk70-80 per kg, long beans at Tk60-65, eggplant at Tk80, cucumber at Tk80, and green chillies at Tk200-220 per kg.
Sugar is seeing a hike to Tk85-90 per kg.
Rafikul Islam, work at a private firm, was shopping for the week for his family at Karwan Bazar: “The price of everything has shot up for the past few months.
“For an employee like me with a salary of around Tk30,000, it is impossible to survive where rice is Tk60 per kg. ”
Requesting anonymity, a 10-grade government official of a gas distribution company said that after coming to the market, it seems very difficult to live in this city.
“Our standard of living is not improving while the price of daily commodities is rising. I can’t afford a simple hilsa fish,” he added.
Sabina Yeasmin, a school teacher from the Hatirpool area, said that she reduced the buying of broiler chicken, although her children are very much fond of fried chicken.
“I have very little savings. And now I am paying for essentials from that. I don’t think that I will be able to make any more savings,” she said.
Akbar Ali, a vendor in the Kallyanpur area, said that he can’t maintain his family with his own income.
“I am searching for another place for my wife to sell vegetables in a van,” he added.
The owner of Comilla Rice Agency of Karwan Bazar said that the price has increased by Tk150-200 per bag at wholesale due to floods, which impacted the paddy production in the haors.
“Moreover, due to the increase in the price of fuel, the rent for trucks has increased by Tk6,000-10,000 and the cost of running the mill has also increased, which led to the hike in rice price at both mill-gate and wholesale level,” he added.
The 10-tonne truck fare from Kushtia to Dhaka was earlier Tk16,000, which is now Tk20,000, he added.
Aman Ullah, the proprietor of Satata Chicken Arat of Karwan Bazar, said that they usually sourced chicken from Bogra and the rent of the truck was Tk20,000, which is now Tk30,000-35,000. So, they have to increase the price.
Hazi Mizanur Rahman, owner of Hazi Mizan Traders of Karwan Bazar said that they bought loose atta at Tk40 and sold it at Tk42 per kg last week. But currently, they have to buy it at Tk48 wholesale.
“So, we have no other options other than selling it at Tk50 per kg. Moreover, the price of loose flour (maida) also hiked to Tk65 per kg,” he added.
He also said that they are selling lentils at Tk140 for finer variant, and Tk110 for coarse variant.
