Warehouse sealed in Shyambazar for selling ginger at higher price
Shyambazar Kitchen Market Owners’ Association has fixed the price of ginger but many sellers are not following the price list
A team of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has sealed a warehouse named Ainal and Sons in Shyambazar for selling ginger at a price higher than that fixed by the Shyambazar Kitchen Market Owners' Association.
The team, led by the directorate's Dhaka region Deputy Director Monjur Mohammad Shahriar, sealed the warehouse on Sunday.
Although, the Shyambazar Kitchen Market Owners' Association has fixed the price of ginger at Tk150 per kg, many warehouses have not followed the price guideline.
Md Abdul Jabbar Mondol, an assistant director of the consumer rights directorate, has also fined Bismillah Traders and Delwar Enterprise for not following the price list properly.
"We had a meeting with the Shyambazar Kitchen Market Owners' Association and fixed the highest selling price of imported ginger. The association has instructed traders that the highest selling price of imported ginger from India is Tk120 per kg and that from China and Myanmar is Tk150," said Monjur.
Ainal and Sons was selling ginger at Tk210 per kg, hence it was sealed, he added.
Sources said the cost of imported ginger from different countries is not more than Tk97 per kg, but wholesalers have created an artificial shortage and are selling ginger at Tk240-245 per kg.
As a result, ginger is being sold in the retail market at a higher price, for up to Tk300-350 per kg.
In the capital's wholesale markets, onions sold at Tk33-38 per kg, garlic at Tk75-80, imported garlic at Tk120-130, Indian ginger at Tk120-135, and China ginger at Tk145-150 per kg on Sunday.
In the retail markets, local onion sold at Tk55-60, and garlic at Tk100-150 per kg.
Deputy Director of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection Md Masum Arefin, assistant directors Shahnewaz Sultana, Fahmida Akhter, Rajabi Nahar Rajani, and Tahmina Begum conducted the drives in Karwan Bazar, Rayer Bazar's Sadek Khan Kitchen Market, Panthapath's Bou Bazar, Kaptan Bazar, Raishaheb Bazar, Hatir Pool Bazar, and Sukrabad Bazar.
During the drives, some business entities were fined for selling products without proper packaging and not following the price list.
