Crowds growing at TCB, OMS trucks as prices of daily essentials soar

Nazim Hossain, a resident of Mohammadpur and an employee at a private firm, was on his way to Agargaon yesterday, Thursday, around 12:30 pm. On the way, he stopped in front of Japan City Garden after spotting a mobile truck of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). 

After waiting for about an hour and fifteen minutes, he purchased soybean oil, lentils, and sugar for Tk 450. The same items would have cost him an additional Tk 160–180 in the regular market.

While standing in line behind the TCB truck, Nazim kept glancing around nervously. Asked about it as he was leaving, he explained, “Suddenly, the cost of our household groceries has gone up. But my income hasn’t. That’s why I was forced to stand in line behind the truck. I kept looking around because I’d feel embarrassed if someone I know saw me.”

At this time of year (the monsoon season), the prices of most daily essentials remain high. For the past six weeks, all kinds of vegetables, fish, farm chicken, and eggs have been selling at elevated prices. 

Just before that, rice prices had also risen. And in the last 15–20 days, the prices of flour, wheat flour, and lentils have gone up as well. In such circumstances, limited-income people like Nazim are lining up at TCB and OMS (Open Market Sale, run by the Food Directorate) trucks, hoping to save a little money.

Each TCB truck carries supplies for 500 people. A buyer can purchase 2 kilogrammes of lentils, 2 literes of soybean oil, and 1 kilogramme of sugar for a total of Tk 450. The same package costs Tk 620–650 in the grocery shops. OMS trucks, meanwhile, carry rice for 300 people and flour for 500. Each buyer can purchase 5 kilogrammes of rice and 4 kilogrammes of flour for Tk 260—items that would cost nearly Tk 500 in the market.

Usually low-income people make purchases from TCB and OMS trucks. But with the recent spike in prices of many essentials, middle- and lower-middle-income households are also joining the queues.

On Thursday afternoon at Mohammadpur’s Ring Road, at least 150 people were seen waiting to buy goods from a TCB truck. Some had taken short breaks from work to make their purchases. Similar scenes were visible at Shyamoli playground, Lalmatia, Khamarbari, and Karwan Bazar. Some buyers, however, left empty-handed after waiting too long.

One such customer was Md. Nazmul Islam, who stood in line at Lalmatia for an hour before leaving. “I work for a company and stood here during a break,” he said. “It would have been a big help if I could have bought soybean oil and lentils. But I can’t afford to waste more time from work, so I had to leave.”

Currently, most vegetables are selling for Tk 60–80 or more per kilogramme. Prices of seasonal vegetables, such as eggplant, okra, taro stems, pointed gourd, ash gourd, bitter gourd, and teasel gourd, have risen sharply. A recent report by the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission stated that in the past three months, vegetable prices have increased by a minimum of 16 per cent and up to 75 per cent.

With vegetables costly, people have turned to eggs as an alternative protein. But egg prices have also jumped. A dozen farm eggs now sells for Tk 130–140, with prices in local grocery shops even higher. Broiler chicken is selling for Tk 180 per kilogramme, while another variety “Sonali” chicken ranges from Tk 290 to Tk 320. Under normal supply conditions, eggs would cost Tk 100–110 a dozen, broiler chicken Tk 140–150 per kilogramme, and Sonali chicken Tk 240–260. Compared to that, current prices are significantly inflated. Meanwhile, almost no fish is available below Tk 280 per kilogramme.

Flour, wheat flour, and lentils have also joined the list of rising prices. Flour has increased by Tk 6–10 per kilogramme, wheat flour by Tk 5–10, and small-grain lentils by about Tk 20.

With prices climbing further, the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission has recommended permitting the import of eggs and onions.

In a letter to the commerce secretary yesterday, the commission said that if retail prices cross Tk 150 for a dozen eggs and Tk 90 for a kilogramme of onions, imports should be allowed. The commission also recommended duty and tax exemptions on these items.