Price Rise / Price Hike

Price Rise is the bane [সর্বনাশ] of modern world. Price of essential commodities [পণ্য] go on rising every day despite the professed and genuine efforts of the government.

The main reason for sky-rocketing of prices is the unabated [অক্ষুণ্ণ] rise in population at an alarming rate. As compared to China, Bangladesh has failed miserably in controlling her population. Another reason for price-rise is the huge loss of man-days as a result of frequent strikes and lock-outs in the industrial units. This leads to short fall in production. Then Bangladesh is still a developing country. A huge capital expenditure [ব্যয়] is still going on in the form of construction activities and in the form of establishment of new units.

An average Bangladeshi has considerably awakened to the reality of raising his living standard in the matter of eating, housing, medical aid and providing education to his children. He is also fond of recreation through T.V., V.C.R cinema, transistor etc. All this expenditure pushes up the rate of living. Those who can afford, also purchase luxurious items like the refrigerator, air conditioner, desert cooler, geyser and other such gadgets. There is also a lot of wastage on parties, dinners, inauguration [উদ্বোধন] and other functions and on canvassing, publicity and propaganda [প্রচার] during elections. The hoarders, stockers and black marketers also push up prices by causing artificial scarcity [অভাব] in the market. Wars and arms race also lead to shortage and price rise.

It is a pity that even more than forty seven years after independence, most of the Bangladeshis are still leading a dog’s life. Only some lucky ones roll in luxury. The government should take some drastic [আমূল] steps to keep prices under control.