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Kitchen markets in the capital are experiencing little festivity ahead of the Sheb-e-barat, one of the most important festivals for the country’s majority Muslim population.
Traders said the soaring cost of living and a biting inflation has reduced shopping on the special occasion in recent years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to retailers, even a few years ago, people would joyously prepare to celebrate the special night. But this year, due to the high price of daily commodities and fears of an economic recession, people have reduced spending during these festivals. Maintaining normal sales in the market has become a challenge for many traders.
Visiting kitchen markets and various super shops in the capital on Friday, The Business Post saw a number of customers were slightly higher than the other weekdays, but much less compared to weekends before major festivals. Consumers are mostly buying daily essential commodities.
Traders said, a few years ago, demand for 10-15 types of products including beef, chicken, aromatic rice, sugar, pulses, semolina, raisins, peanuts, milk would increase significantly ahead of Shab-e-Barat. Even a slight increase in price would not discourage them. And the sales trend would only go upwards throughout the Ramadan.
But this year, consumers are not buying anything extra for the festival. Even the normal sales have reduced by 50 per cent, some traders claimed.
Haji Enayetullah, former president of Moulvibazar Traders Association and a wholesaler, said previously, the wholesale market used to be busy with sales in the month before Shab-e-Barat. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, these sales have gradually decreased due to the increase in the prices of daily commodities.
He said the situation was gloomy last year as well, but this year the picture is completely different. Sales have not increased ahead of Shab-e-Barat at all. On the contrary, it has decreased by 50 per cent compared to last year.
Enayetullah blamed the abnormal increase in the price of daily commodities and economic recession for the low sales.
Mostafizur Rahman, a retailer in Segunbagicha kitchen market, said the supply of many daily products which usually see an increase in demand during Shab-e-Barat is very low at present as the prices of many products have increased abnormally.
“People are buying only what they need to survive. They are avoiding additional purchases. So, our sales are down a lot.” According to traders, demand for beef usually surges during Shab-e-Barat. But currently, one kg of beef costs Tk 720-750 in the capital’s retail markets, up by Tk 70-100 from last year. In some markets, domestic bull meat is being sold at up to Tk 800 per kg.
Besides, the price of chicken has increased by 41 per cent year-on-year to Tk 240-250.
The price of pulse, one of the high-demand products during Shab-e-Barat, has increased by Tk 30 per kg. It is being sold at Tk 110 per kg at present.
Besides, the price of other essentials that usually see an increase in demand during Shab-e-Barat, including sugar, semolina, and milk has increased up to Tk 40 per kg year-on-year.
Sugar sold at Tk 120 per kg on Friday, up from Tk 80 per kg last year, while semolina sold at Tk 110 per kg, up from Tk75-80 per kg last year. Packet liquid milk sold at Tk 90 per litre, up from Tk80 per litre last year.
