Govt, private companies offer discounts on food essentials amid Ramadan

Besides the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), many others have started to sell food essentials at a discounted price compared to the kitchen markets, on the occasion of Ramadan.

On Wednesday (13 March), the Bangladesh Poultry Association started selling broiler chicken eggs at Tk120 per dozen in front of the Karwan Bazar TCB building as opposed to the market price of Tk135 per dozen.

In addition, the association is selling dressed broiler chicken at Tk260 per kg, whereas the market rate of live weight broiler chicken is Tk230 per kg. Besides, it is selling dates at Tk180 per kg, lemons at Tk40 per four pieces and mustard oil at Tk200 per litre.

Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection AHM Shafiquzzaman inaugurated the programme on Wednesday.

He said, "If big companies and wealthy people take the responsibility of delivering products to the market at a reduced price, it will benefit the people who do not have the purchasing power."

Earlier on the day, Shafiquzzaman inaugurated a sales centre of Meghna Group in front of the TCB building, where nine products are being sold at a discounted price.

Meanwhile, TK Group and Bashundhara Group recently also started selling products at discounted prices at the same location.

The sales centre basically means pickup trucks, where people can buy products at a discounted rate.

Visiting the sales centres of the companies on Wednesday, it was found that various products including soybean oil, sugar, water, flour, flour, pulses, and fragrant rice were being sold.

Meghna was selling soybean oil at a discount of Tk7 per litre, mustard oil at a price lower by Tk90 per litre, mustard oil at Tk35 less per litre and lentils at Tk15 less per kg.

TK Group was selling 23 products: soybean oil at Tk7 discount, fragrant rice at a discount of Tk28, flour at Tk7 discount and pulses at Tk16 less per kg.

Bashundhara Group was selling a total of 31 products including rice, flour, fragrant rice at its sales centre. They are selling soybean oil at a Tk8 discount and mustard oil at Tk95.

The company was also selling vermicelli, noodles, different types of powdered spices, and tea.

Apart from this, the Department of Livestock Services was selling beef at Tk600 per kg, eggs at Tk110 per dozen, milk at Tk80 per litre, mutton at Tk900 per kg and dressed broiler chicken at Tk250 per kg at 30 spots in Dhaka.

The Department of Fisheries was selling fish at eight spots across the capital. Among them, ruhi fish is being sold at Tk240 per kg, pangas and tilapia at Tk130 and Pabda fish at Tk330 per kg.

Mujibur Rahman, head of accounts at Meghna Group, told TBS that they were selling 9 products at 5 spots in Dhaka on the first day, and they are planning to add some more products to the list.

Govt-set price for dates ignored

The price of dates, a key item for the fasting month of Ramadan, remained high in the capital on Wednesday, the second day after the government set the prices for the item.

Visiting various markets in Karwan Bazar, Rampura and Badda in the capital on Wednesday, it was found that the popular Zahidi variety of dates were selling for Tk320-450 per kg and the lesser quality dates were selling for Tk170-180 a kg.

On Monday, the Ministry of Commerce set the price of Zahidi dates at Tk170-180 a kg, and low-grade ones at Tk150-165 per kg. 

Asked as to how the fixed price of dates will be implemented, Director General of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection AHM Shafiquzzaman, however, did not comment on the issue.

Retailers said the price of dates remains high as they had bought the product from the wholesale market at a higher price. In many cases, the wholesale price was higher than the price fixed by the government at retail level. 

"We have bought dates above the price set by the government. How can we sell it at a lower price now?" questioned Shafiqur, a dates seller at Karwan Bazar, while talking to TBS.