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Abdullah Al Masum
With less than a week to begin the holy month of Ramadan, prices of different varieties of dates increased by Tk 20 to Tk 40 per kg in the retail markets of the capital.
Despite increase in prices, traders remain unhappy for poor sales as customers of the most demanded Ramadan commodity are still lesser compared to the past year.
They said that a large portion of people from middle and lower-middle income groups had already left the capital before the imposition of lockdown to tackle spread of COVID-19 and while many others opted to stay indoors and it was the reason behind few customers.
Around a dozen varieties of dates are being sold at different retail and wholesale markets in Dhaka.
Muslims typically prefer dates to breaking their Ramadan fast.
Asad Ali, a retailer at Mohakhali, said that before the imposition of lockdown he used to sell 10 kg dates per day but now he could rarely sell more than 5 kg.
At Karwan Bazar wholesale market, Tunisian variety of dates are being sold at Tk 300 to Tk 320, Adam variety of dates at Tk 450 to Tk 470, Farida variety at Tk 300 to Tk 330, Azwah variety at Tk 600 to Tk 700.
Imran Hossain, a wholesaler at Karwan Bazar, said that he was involved with the business for the past five years but never faced such a situation. “Such situation is created for the coronavirus,” he added.
Taher Ahmed was buying dates at Mohakhali. He was angry with the price increase. He bought Adam variety of dates at Tk 450 a kg which he last time bought at Tk 400.
aamm/aj
