<i>When ends don't meet</i>

For a long time, Abidur Rahman has this habit. After having his meals, he likes to have a cup of tea and then a betel leaf with aromatic chewing-tobacco.
Just two weeks ago, Abidur had to spend Tk 4 for enjoying this treat each time, but now, he has to pay Tk 6 as the prices of both the cup of tea and the betel leaf increased by Tk 1 each.
"Not only this, my house rent has increased Tk 800 from this month," said a frustrated Abidur, an employee of a private company living in Maghbazar.
He carried on with his gloomy tale talking about a hike in rickshaw fares. "Till last week, I used to pay Tk 12 for a ride by rickshaw from Dhakeshwari temple to Shahbagh. Now it has become Tk 15."
The rickshaw-pullers have raised the fares due to the skyrocketing prices of rice, Abidur observed adding that they, too, have to feed their children.
Abidur's long complaint list continued as he turned towards food and meal prices.
At restaurants, each parata was priced at Tk 3 earlier, Abidur said adding that now it has become Tk 5 per piece.
Whereas one pack of biscuit was Tk 10, now it costs Tk 14 and the price of one kilogram beef was Tk 180 just a few days ago, which is now hovering around Tk 200, Abidur said.
"So it is not only the prices of rice and oil, all sorts of expenses of everyday life have shot up," he said talking to The Daily Star when asked about how he is managing his monthly budget with the increasing rice price.
"All sorts of expenses have increased recently but not the income. Now I cannot afford English medium school for my son," Abidur said. He is now considering sending his son to a Bangla medium school where education expenses are less.
The tale of Abidur reveals the plight of the urban middle class, forced to tighten their belts with price increase on almost all everyday essentials.
Talking with the middle-income groups in the city, it was learned that the new year did not bring new hopes for them.
With the beginning of 2008, prices of rice and other grocery items have shot up, and so have other expenses including house rent, rickshaw fares, tuition fees of children, prices of books and paper etc., as if in keeping with the hike in almost everything.
Education expenses as well as house rent especially marked a sharp a rise.
According to Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB), the house rent has increased at least 10 percent in different areas of the capital with the starting of the new year.
"My landlord has increased the rent by Tk 1000 from this month. Now I have to pay Tk 11,000," Anisul Islam, working in a private company, said.
"Admission fees of my son was Tk 13,000 last year but these have become Tk 17,000 this year. Other school expenses like school van charges, tuition fees, tiffins, VAT, added up to around Tk 4000 monthly earlier, but now it is over Tk 5000," Anisul said who is also considering to enroll his son to another school to manage the expenses.
"My income has not increased. How can I afford so much," said a distressed Anisul.
Besides, prices of school uniform, books, notebook, pen and other education materials have increased by 10 to 50 percent, he added.
"I usually buy one dozen of oranges for around Tk 90 to Tk 100. But today, I bought only four oranges when I saw that the price per dozen is Tk 140,"Amena Begum, a consumer at Hatirpul market, said.
Asked if she had ever gone to BDR shops to buy anything, she replied in the negative.
"But maybe we have to start going there," she said with a faint smile.
Talking about how the increased prices of essentials have been affecting the middle class and how they are coping with the situation, noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman observed that the middle class is cutting back on their spending to deal with the situation, as their income has not grown.
"Some are doing extra work. But others have been living on less to manage extra expenses," he said adding many people have started selling their savings certificates.
"The government should have offered dearness allowance to those who earn less than Tk 10,000 per month," Dr Atiur said.