Only 50 paisa, one-taka or five-taka coins are still in use. The younger generation today 'collect' one, two, five or ten paisa coins as 'antiques'.

"Rarely I get coins valued at less than one taka for I don't have any items priced below one taka. Even a single paan (betel-leaf) or a box of matches cost one-taka," said Selim, a roadside cigarette vendor in Moghbazar.

Selim informed that not only small coins but also one-taka note are becoming rare these days.

At banks' billing counters, clients often come across notice reading -- 'please bring coins to pay fractions of your bills."

As nobody have coins below 50 paisa, clients pay round figures. Most of the time they do not get fractions back from the tellers.

However, some government and private organisations have 'developed' ways to 'adjust' fractions in the bills.

Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph Board (BTTB) is ignoring fractions below 50 paisa but making round figures for fractions above 50 paisa.

Cell phone provider GrameenPhone is adjusting the fractions everytime with the next bill.

Many manufacturers price their products with round figures to avoid the coin crisis.

But most medicines are still priced with fractions. Drug sellers either leave out the fractions or demand round figures from the customers.