BARISHAL, Feb 28: Barishal residents are getting a welcome break this Ramadan as onion prices have dropped to Tk 30 per kilogram, bringing some respite to households across the city.
Alongside onions, essential staples such as sugar, chickpeas, red lentils (khesari dal), and potatoes are now being sold at more reasonable rates, easing pressure on daily budgets. However, vegetable prices remain a challenge for many consumers, particularly the lower- and middle-income families.
Market observers note that while wholesale and retail price gaps for vegetables in Barishal and the broader southern region still exist, government initiatives have helped stabilise prices of key commodities like rice.
At the start of Ramadan, onions were selling at Tk 60-65 per kilogram in Barishal's open markets. Within a week, the price fell to Tk 40, and it is now available at Tk 30 per kilogram. Vendors are actively selling onions from morning until late at night, announcing prices through mobile microphones on rickshaws and vans throughout the city. Similarly, one kilogram of potatoes is now selling at Tk 15, offering some relief from previous price surges for lower- and middle-income households.
Sugar prices have also become more manageable. Over the past decade, sugar in Barishal's open markets usually sold for Tk 90-95 per kilogram during Ramadan. This year, sugar is available at similar rates, while chickpeas are selling for Tk 85-90 per kilogram and khesari dal for Tk 95-100 per kilogram, much lower than in previous years, according to local shopkeepers.
Edible oil, however, remains a concern. Soya bean oil is priced at Tk 195 per litre, with some locations charging up to Tk 200. The state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) has been supplying subsidised essential items across the Barishal region since the day before Ramadan. Daily, 40 TCB trucks distribute two-litre packs of oil at Tk 115 per litre to around 16,000 people, along with sugar at Tk 80 per kilogram, 500 grams of dates at Tk 160, khesari dal at Tk 70 for two kilograms, and chickpeas at Tk 70 per kilogram.
Additionally, nearly 432,000 TCB family card holders in the region receive 5 kilograms of rice per month at Tk 30 per kilogram, along with 2 litres of soya bean or rice bran oil at Tk 105 per litre, 2 kilograms of sugar at Tk 70, 1 kilogram of dates at Tk 160, and 1 kilogram of chickpeas at Tk 60. However, many cardholders have yet to receive February's allocation, though TCB officials assured that distribution will begin shortly, with another round of supplies planned ahead of Eid. Daily sales will continue through 40 TCB trucks reaching 16,000 people each day until Ramadan ends.
The Food Department is also supplying rice and flour in the open market to stabilise prices. Daily, 92 tonnes of rice are sold at Tk 30 per kilogram and 56 tonnes of flour at Tk 24 per kilogram. Around 18,500 people buy rice and 11,500 buy flour daily. This measure has helped keep rice prices from rising sharply while slightly reducing costs for consumers.
Vegetables, however, remain expensive. Tomatoes are selling at Tk 40 per kilogram, cauliflower at Tk 60, cabbage at Tk 40-50, and green chillies at Tk 180. Prices of other vegetables remain slightly elevated due to wide wholesale-retail gaps, continuing to burden consumers.
Even so, price hikes for traditional Ramadan vegetables such as eggplant and cucumber have been more moderate this year. Eggplants, which normally sell at Tk 80 per kilogram, are now priced at Tk 60-70, while cucumbers are selling at Tk 50-60 per kilogram. Lemon prices, however, remain high, with medium-sized lemons selling at Tk 50-60 each.
Overall, Barishal's markets are showing some relief this Ramadan, with essential commodities now more affordable for the general public.
