After the fall of the government, a list called ‘Army fixed prices’ of daily commodities has been circulating on Facebook. Arnab Ghosh, a resident of Tenjkunipara, went to the market believing that list and returned disappointed.

Arnav said that the list price has no match with the market price. There is also an argument among the buyers in the market about this.

It has been claimed that the price of potato is 40 taka, onion is 70 taka, beef is 650 taka, beef is 850 taka and the price of broiler chicken has been fixed at 140 taka per kg.

On Friday, Arnav went to Tenjkunipara market to buy a kg of beef. But went and saw the price of 1100 taka, then had to return after buying half a kg.

He said, “I don’t understand who is spreading the price reduction information on Facebook or why they are spreading it. Now I understand that the price reduction campaign is a rumour.”

Amit Pal and Aparajita Pal couple went to the caravan market and got cheated like this. At the wholesale rate, five kg of potatoes had to be bought at Tk 280, which has fallen to Tk 56 per kg.

Aparajita said, “I was seeing many posts that the price has decreased. The price of potatoes has fallen to 40. But the market remains the same. It seems that the market will have to be controlled by the students’ movement. Otherwise traders will not reduce prices.”

The hope of this young woman is also going on. Apart from controlling the traffic on the road, this time the delegation of students is checking the product prices by going to the market.

The sellers are arguing with the buyers in the market about the price. Buyers looking to buy at advertised prices on Facebook. But the sellers claim that they bought wholesale for much more than that.

Sharif Mahmood, a grocery shopkeeper in Tejkunipara area of ​​Tenjgao, said, “The prices of products have decreased. These rumors are flying on Facebook. Customers are arguing. Am I the one who wants the price higher? In fact, the price has not decreased.”

In one of the posts that have spread on Facebook, the mobile number of the army in Barisal has also been given.

When the number was called, a person identified himself as camp commander Major Rashed and said, “We have also heard about the posters about the market price list. However, the price list is not given to us.”

In another question, he said, “Many people have my number. Those who did this gave my number here.”

Students are going on raids in markets across the country, including in the capital, to free them of extortion and to warn ‘excessive profiteers’.

They advise sellers not to subsidize anyone. Saying, “Don’t destabilize the market by taking a price higher than the price at which it should be sold”.

Comilla University students Priyanka Akhtar, Anwara Anika, Umme Habiba Mou, Umme Habiba Seethi and Md. Momin Majumdar and many others went to the market. There were also students from other educational institutions at that time.

Priyanka Akhtar said, “We have generally worked to monitor five issues namely pricing, cleanliness, duration, product shortages and extortion.”

He said, “Several sellers said that every afternoon the shop collects about 100 to 200 rupees. Otherwise they threatened to demolish the shop. And we have been told that some leaders of BNP are doing such activities. The price of goods in the market is not falling because of extortionists.”

Director General of National Consumer Protection Directorate AHM Safikuzzaman also went to Shantinagar market on this day. He talks to wholesale and retail traders about price and supply conditions.

He said, “Directorate officials have been instructed to work together with the students. Everyone should be careful that no one can charge hidden charges including extortion.”

The prices of various daily commodities have been volatile due to disruption of goods transportation across the country for more than two consecutive weeks due to conflict violence and curfew that started from July 18. Raw material prices have started to fall slightly as the supply system has been in operation for two days.

A visit to Karwan Bazar and Tejkunipara Bazar shows that the prices of vegetables, eggs and chicken have come down. However, prices of potatoes, beef and rice remain unchanged. Onion price has increased by Tk 10 per kg.

In caravan market, kankarol and brinjal are sold at Tk 60, tomato at Tk 130, gourd and bitter gourd at Tk 70 to Tk 80, potal, drumstick and chichinga at Tk 40, cucumber at Tk 80 to Tk 100, raw papaya at Tk 30 per kg and gourd at Tk 40 to Tk 50 each depending on the size.

Vegetable seller Al Amin Islam said that the price has not decreased much compared to before, it is decreasing slightly. If there is no extortion then I will reduce the price slowly.”

This onion is being sold at wholesale price of 124 taka. Potatoes are being sold at Tk 56 per kg. And it is being sold at five to six rupees more in retail.

In this market, the price of ginger-garlic has decreased by Tk 10 per kg. Chinese garlic is being sold at Tk 200 per kg and domestic garlic at Tk 180 per kg, Indian ginger at Tk 200 per kg and Chinese ginger at Tk 250 per kg.

Ginger-garlic seller. Palash Khan said, “Prices were low before the agitation. Later the price went up as the country became unstable. Now the price has come down again.”

Red eggs are being sold in the caravan market at Tk 48, white eggs at Tk 44 and duck eggs at Tk 65.

Beef is being sold at Tk 750, mutton at Tk 1100.

All types of rice are being sold at 3 to 5 Tk more per kg than a month ago in Babubazar, the capital’s wholesale market for rice.

At the moment, the price of miniket is Tk 63 to Tk 68 per kg, BR-28 Tk 52 to Tk 56 per kg, Nazirshail Tk 64 to Tk 76, Hybrid coarse rice Tk 54 to Tk 47, Guti Swarna Tk 50 to Tk 53, Guti Tk 52 to Tk 56 per kg and Pajam Tk 56. 57 from Rs.

Abdul Jalil, a seller of Antu-Sentu Rice Agency in Babubazar, said, “20 days ago, I was buying hybrid coarse rice for Tk 2,000 a bag. Now it has become 2200 rupees. Prices have increased in all types of rice.”

On Wednesday, chillies fell from Tk 120 to Tk 140 per kg. However, within two days, it increased by 80 taka to 200 taka to 220 taka.

Anis Ahmed, a pepper seller at Karwan Bazaar, said, “The prices are going up a lot.”

Buyer Zikrul Hasan said, “The noise I heard about lowering the price is wrong. The price of pepper has gone up.”

The sellers say that the price increase reduces the business manipulation. Because, if they buy more at wholesale, they sell more at retail, if there is less demand, they also sell less.

They are relieved that the customer has returned.

Anis Mia, a vegetable vendor at Karwan Bazar, said, “For so long people were in fear of whether they would live or die.” There are not many buyers in the market. Now there is a solution, buyers are flocking to the market. Since the beginning of the movement, the trade was ruined. It will be all right.”

Al Mamun, a shopper, said, “People used to buy from the alleys of the neighborhoods during the agitation. I would not have come unless it was more urgent. But I also walk around the market with ease.