During a roundtable discussion, Dr Badrunnessa Ahmed, a Research Fellow at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Research (BIDS), highlighted a significant increase in rice prices over a decade. She noted that rice prices surged by 122 per cent within ten years, exemplified by the cost of a kilogram rising from Tk 36 in 2013 to Tk 80 in 2023.

Addressing the audience during a roundtable meeting on 'Price Hike: Strategies to Overcome' held on Thursday, February 22, Dr Ahmed emphasised on the inefficacy of government policies in controlling the prices of essential commodities. She pointed out shortcomings in market monitoring, attributing the persistence of high prices to the lack of effective enforcement following monitoring activities. Dr Ahmed suggested that there may have been an incorrect choice in selecting countries for importing products.

She said that China and India, the big buyers of oil, are buying oil directly from Russia and fixing the price in their country. We are importing oil from Western countries. Because of this, our price and their purchase price may be different.

Dr Ahmed expressed concerns over the country's inadequate reserves, which are leading to a lack of credible market influence and price instability. She highlighted the emergence of speculative opportunities due to policy constraints, urging further research on managing perishable goods markets. Dr Ahmed observed that while prices fluctuate significantly for perishable goods, the volatility is comparatively lower for non-perishable items.

The event, commemorating the founding anniversary of Dainik Jugantar, was presided over by Salma Islam, the newspaper's publisher, at the CIRDAP Auditorium. Dr. Moshiur Rahman, the Economic Advisor, was present as the chief guest, with State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu in attendance as a special guest.