Karwan Bazar traders slash Ramadan prices amid extortion fears

 
Traders at Karwan Bazar on Monday announced price reductions on a range of essential commodities ahead of Ramadan, pledging relief for consumers despite mounting concerns over extortion in the capital's largest wholesale market.

The announcement came at a press conference organised by Islamia Shanti Samiti at the Kitchen Market in Karwan Bazar, aimed at stabilising prices during the holy month.

Newly elected Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Milon attended the event, expressing support for the traders' voluntary initiative.

According to the traders, prices will be reduced as follows: lemons by Tk 2 per piece; edible oil by Tk 1 per litre; sugar by Tk 1 per kg; chickpeas by Tk 2 per kg; Tang by Tk 5 per 200g pack; beef by Tk 30 per kg; and miniket rice by Tk 1 per kg.
 
Saiful Islam Sujan, General Secretary of the Karwan Bazar Pakka Market Aratdar Samiti, said lemons sourced from Srimangal at Tk 11-12 are sold in five quality categories. "Large lemons previously sold at Tk 17 will now be sold at Tk 15. Smaller varieties priced at Tk 3-4 will also be reduced accordingly," he said.

Abu Bakkar Siddique, proprietor of Akhti Enterprise, said oil traders would offer a Tk 5 discount on every five-litre purchase. "We currently sell five litres at Tk 920, while ghee is priced at Tk 950. Consumers will now receive an additional reduction," he added.

Kitchen Market Organising Secretary Belayet Hossain said one-kg packets of sugar, which were previously sold at Tk 102 in Karwan Bazar against a market price of Tk 105, would now be sold at Tk 101.

Gofran, manager of Comilla Store, said chickpeas previously bought at Tk 80 and sold at Tk 85 per kg would now be sold at Tk 83, reducing traders' profit margins.

Traders also announced cuts in Tang prices. A 2kg jar, previously sold at Tk 1,580 against an MRP of Tk 1,900, will now be priced at Tk 1,560, while smaller packs will drop to Tk 380 from Tk 385.

Rice traders said their profit on miniket rice would be reduced from Tk 2 to Tk 1 per kg, bringing the price down to Tk 80 from Tk 81.

Speaking at the event, Saiful Alam Milon said the reductions were achieved through discussions rather than coercion. "We did not impose this decision. Traders have offered these discounts from their profit margins out of a sense of responsibility during Ramadan," he said.

However, the MP acknowledged that extortion remains a serious challenge in Karwan Bazar. "Extortion here is a major issue. I have even been warned that visiting certain areas could pose risks to my safety," he said.

He alleged that extortion payments have reached alarming levels, claiming that a group of poultry traders recently paid Tk 60 lakh to extortionists. "Everyone knows who is behind this. It cannot be stopped by one person alone; collective action is required," he said.

The MP added that tackling extortion would require coordinated action from the government, particularly the Ministry of Home Affairs. "It is not possible without government support," he said, urging the media to play a stronger role in highlighting the issue and pressing for effective measures.