Fire breaks out at Chittagong vegetable market even during peak season, angering city residents

Staff Correspondent

Vegetable prices are increasing in Chittagong even during the peak season. In the space of a week, various vegetables have increased by Tk 10 to Tk 40 per kg. However, there has been no change in the prices of fish, meat and eggs.

This morning, visiting the city’s Agrabad Beparipara and Halishahar raw market, it was seen that the prices of tomatoes, beans, gourds, brinjals and cabbage have increased by 10 taka per kg compared to last week. The price of cauliflower has increased by 20 taka per kg and that of green chillies has increased by 40 taka per kg.

Currently, tomatoes are being sold in the market at 60-65 taka per kilogram, beans at 50-60, gourds at 40, eggplant at 50, and cabbage at 40-45 taka.

Apart from this, cauliflower is being sold at 50 to 60 taka per kg and green chillies at 100 taka. Bean seeds are being sold at 100 to 120 taka per kg. In addition, radish and turnip are available at 40 taka per kg, new potatoes at 35 taka and old potatoes at 20 to 25 taka. Papaya, sweet pumpkin and raw banana are also available at 40 taka per hali.

Abul Bashar, a vegetable seller at the city’s Beparipara Raw Market, said that the increase in vegetable prices in the wholesale market has also affected the retail market. He mentioned that the prices have increased due to a slight shortage in supply and expressed hope that prices will come down when supply normalizes.

On the other hand, Nargis Begum, a buyer at the same market, said that although the prices of winter vegetables should be low during this peak season, they are unusually high. Sellers are raising prices under various pretexts.

Another buyer, Biplu Azim, said, “This situation of commodity prices is due to the lack of market supervision by the Yunus government. We have never seen such high prices of vegetables in the market during this winter. The country has become a hotbed of corruption.”

In this regard, Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Central Committee Vice President SM Nazer Hossain claimed that unscrupulous traders are taking advantage of government officials’ busyness with the elections. They are putting pressure on consumers by increasing prices at will.

He advised that it is important to continue regular market surveillance in the interest of consumers.