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Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel take away rice from their fair price outlet at the city's Nayabazar yesterday. Lately, the paramilitary force has closed a number of such shops due to dwindling stock of subsidised rice. Photo: STAR |
Prices of different varieties of rice continued to rise both in wholesale and retail markets in the capital while potato price came down yesterday.
Meantime, rice was selling at many of the fair price outlets of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) yesterday despite their earlier announcement to close down the shops. They will stop sale when their stock runs out, BDR sources said.
In wholesale market, price of parija (medium quality) shot up by Tk 30 per maund (37.32 kg) yesterday and that of all other varieties rose by Tk 10 a maund.
Parija sold at Tk 1,250-1,280 per maund yesterday compared to Tk 1,220-1,250 on the previous day.
IRRI sold at Tk 1,130 a maund, BR-28 Tk 1,190 and minikate Tk 1,430 yesterday, Tk 10 higher per maund.
Wholesalers said rice millers are busy with government procurement and that is why they are failing to supply it in market. Rains also affected supply. These contributed to price hike of rice.
Besides, different government agencies are taking rice from millers forcibly to build up government stock, they alleged.
Preferring anonymity, a trader at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, said members of a law enforcement agency took his 120 sacks (85 kg per sack) of BR-28 rice to government godown. He was returning to Dhaka with the rice he had purchased in Muktagachha of Mymensingh.
Retail price of potato came down by Tk 2-3 per kg. It was selling at Tk 15-18 a kg yesterday.
Prices of most vegetables also fell by Tk 2-3 a kg yesterday.
