Iftar got pricier in port city

Chittagong city's iftar market has gained momentum since the beginning of Ramadan and most of the shops and makeshift stalls are wearing a festive look to attract customers. 

But not everyone is in a festive mood this year. People from middle and lower income groups are suffering due to a price-hike in iftar items.

As the price of the ingredients to make iftar items has gone up in kitchen markets, price of iftar items also went up, said the traders and consumers.

“Every year we see traders increase the price, it gets quite difficult for the middle-income group to maintain the monthly budget,” said Habib Ullah, a resident of Mohammadpur.

However, Chittagong District Administration, Consumers Association of Bangladesh, and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry have already started monitoring the prices of the daily essentials at different markets and have punished several unscrupulous traders for hiking the price, said CDA sources. 

But the retailers are compelled to hike up the price of the iftar essentials as their purchase price was higher, said Lokman Hossain, a shopkeeper at Chawk Bazar Kitchen Market. “We only make a profit of Tk 2-3 a kg on each items,” he said.

The retailers said they had already stockpiled many ingredients, purchased at a high price before Ramadan and there was no drive going on at that time. Now, it will be hard for them to reduce the price since it will not even cover their expenses, they added.

Meanwhile, price of almost all the iftar items soared in different outlets. While visiting Kazir Dewri, Chawk Bazar, Lalkhan Bazar, Dewan Bazar and Proborttak Intersection areas, this correspondent noticed that the price varied from areas to areas.

A kg of chana was sold at Tk 220 per kg at Snoopy in Probarttak Intersection while it was Tk 130 to 150 in different shops in Kazir Dewri, Chawk Bazar and Dewan Bazar areas.

Price of pianju and beguni was Tk 3 a piece in roadside shops in those areas but it was Tk 5-6 in eateries. Jilapi was Tk 120 to Tk 130 at roadside outlets while it was around Tk 220 to Tk 250 at many restaurants.

“I used to pay Tk 3 a piece for a pianju but this year a pianju of the same size is Tk 5,” said Kawsar Ahmed, a salesman at a shopping mall, adding, “Rate of other items has also increased.”

“The budget for iftar items has gone up around 30 percent,” said Asad Hider, a jobholder at a private firm, adding, “My remuneration has not increased but expenses have gone up...I don't know how we will survive in the days to come.”

Meanwhile, people from low income group, who do not usually get to have iftar with families due to their work schedule, mostly break their fast in roadside stalls.

Tamij Uddin, a rickshaw-puller, said he breaks his fast with muri, chana, and pianju. "Sometimes I eat a little bit of halim but I cannot afford it,” he said, adding, “A plate of halim is being sold at Tk 60 at the roadside stalls.”

“We all chip in and have iftar in our shop everyday,” said Abdur Razzak, a salesman at a shopping mall, who breaks his fast at work.

“We share the burden of the price-hike together. Even though we miss our families, all of us (colleagues) become part of a family by having iftar together,” he said.