Prices of potato, sugar and spices rose in the last two days, while butchers are not selling meats at the prices fixed by Dhaka City Corporation.

Some businessmen, blessed by the ruling party, have been hoarding essentials for the 'peak money making season' -- Ramadan, report our district correspondents.

Retailers and wholesalers have been blaming each other for raising prices arbitrarily to make some fast cash.

The price of potato on the market suddenly rose in the last two days. It now sells for Tk 20 to Tk 22, the previous price of which was Tk 18. Sugar now sells for Tk 46, which was Tk 40 last week.

The retailers at various markets, including the biggest kitchen market Karwan Bazar, said prices will rise more soon.

They said prices of spices also rose ahead of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, visiting several markets, The Daily Star found that none of the butchers are selling meats at the prices fixed by Dhaka City Corporation on September 12.

Mutton sells for Tk 220 to Tk 230, which DCC fixed at Tk 200, goat meat is selling for Tk 200 to Tk 210 instead of the fixed price of Tk 180, beef is selling for Tk 150 to Tk 160, and buffalo meat is selling for Tk 140 to Tk 150 instead of the fixed prices of Tk 140 and Tk 120 respectively.

"Prices of livestock are too high to sell meats following the fixed price list," said a butcher at Kataban Market.

Meanwhile, our Rajshahi correspondent reports that in addition to the real traders, illegal storage of essentials by other professionals has also been influencing market prices.

"Rich and influential businessmen with blessings from the ruling party are controlling the hoarders of agro-commodities," said Farid Mamud Hasan, general secretary of Rajshahi Babosayi Oikkya Parishad.

There are over 1500 hoarders and a few of their leaders active in Rajshahi are behind the inflated spiraling of prices, sources said.

The hoarded products are rice, wheat, jute, onion, local garlic, sugar, green chilly, lentil, pulse, kerosene and even puffed rice.

Suffering losses in other sectors, some traders have become interested in the business of hoarding, said the trader leader.

"We know a number of contractors of Rajshahi City Corporation, Public Health Engineering Department, Railway, LGED and Water Development Board who are involved in hoarding essential commodities." said an agro-product trader.

Sources said during harvest season hoarders purchase large amounts of garlic, ginger and onion at low prices between Tk 30 and Tk 40 per kilogram and after one or two months, they sale those for Tk 60 to Tk 70.

Our Khulna and Rajshahi correspondents report the government has taken initiatives to make lists of hoarders and asked the authorities concerned to take actions against them.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Anwarul Iqbal told The Daily Star, "Controlling market price is not the job of the police."