Economy
Dhaka Stores Experience Sugar Shortage Amid Soaring Prices
The city of Dhaka is currently facing a shortage of sugar, as loose sugar was being sold on Wednesday (3rd May) in markets for Tk135 to Tk140 per kg, which is much higher than the government-fixed price due to short supply.
The government set a price ceiling of Tk104 per kg for loose sugar and Tk109 for packaged sugar on April 8, but consumers complained that the ceiling hardly worked. In the retail market, packaged sugar has been hardly available, and even for loose sugar, consumers have to pay Tk135 to Tk140 per kg, up from Tk120 to Tk125 a kg last week. During visits to different markets in the capital on Wednesday, no packaged sugar was seen in stores, and traders reported no supply of sugar since the Eid-ul-Fitr festival late last month.
Wholesale companies have failed to deliver citing short supply, and importers attribute the short supply to the high price of sugar in the international market affecting domestic supply. They are waiting for the government to decide if they would go for import at higher prices and have reduced imports due to higher prices. According to the government agency, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the price of sugar increased by 15 percent in a month while it increased by more than 62 percent in one year.
Salmat Sarder of Chadpur Store of Karwan Bazar stated that packaged sugar has not been available for a long time, and loose sugar purchased at the wholesale level is more than Tk130 per kg. Still, dealers are not giving purchase receipts. The scarcity of sugar has created challenges for consumers, and the government needs to address the issue by taking necessary measures to stabilize the sugar market and ensure fair prices for consumers.
Bangladesh and Qatar signed 10 cooperation documents on Tuesday, including five agreements and five MoUs, aimed at strengthening ties and elevating relations to new heights.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani witnessed the signing of the documents.
The five agreements cover cooperation in the legal field, promotion and protection of mutual investments, avoidance of double taxation, maritime transport, and the establishment of a Joint Business Council (JBC) between FBCCI & QCCI.
The five MoUs include cooperation in sports and youth, manpower employment (Labour), diplomatic training, education, higher education, scientific research, and between Qatar Ports management Company “MAWANI QATAR” and Chittagong Ports Authority.
Earlier in the morning, PM Hasina warmly welcomed and received Emir Sheikh Tamim at her office.
They had a tête-à-tête meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, followed by a bilateral meeting.
After signing the visitors’ book, the emir headed for Bangabhaban where the president received him.
A high-level Qatari delegation led by Qatar’s emir is on a state visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of the president and the prime minister.
During the ceremony, a road and a park in Dhaka were named after Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani.
The park, constructed in Kalshi area of Mirpur under Dhaka North City Corporation, and the road from Mirpur ECB point to Kalsi Fly Over were named after Emir of Qatar.
Now, the road and park are known as Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Avenue and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani Park.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) is urging for greater involvement of marginal, small, and medium enterprises in international trade fairs. This initiative aims to spotlight Bangladesh’s promising products on the global market.
FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam made the call during the first meeting of the organisation’s Standing Committee on National and International Trade Fairs and Foreign Delegations. He emphasised the need to provide marginal, small, and medium enterprises with the space and resources to effectively display their products at these events.
“The participation of marginal, small, and medium enterprises is crucial at both national and international levels,” Mahbubul Alam said. “This will allow us to export Bangladesh’s promising products and open new markets.”
The FBCCI president informed that his organisation is actively discussing and collaborating with the government to make this a reality. He also proposed organising roadshows in neighbouring countries and Europe to revive the country’s handicraft industry and increase export opportunities for these products.
Standing Committee Chairman Nuruzzaman echoed Mahbubul Alam’s sentiments, highlighting Bangladesh’s vast potential and young population. “We need to move beyond the garment sector and focus on product diversification and market creation,” Nuruzzaman said.
Achieving this, he acknowledged, will require close collaboration with the Export Promotion Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority.
FBCCI Senior Vice President Md Amin Helaly pledged the organisation’s support in facilitating increased exports through participation in foreign trade fairs. He stressed, however, the importance of raising awareness among Bangladeshis about the country’s diverse and promising products.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion where participants expressed keen interest in organising and participating in various sectoral fairs, both domestically and internationally, under the FBCCI’s umbrella.
Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the United States (US), Muhammad Imran, has urged Bangladeshi expatriates to send remittances through legal channels to further strengthen the country’s economy. He also encouraged them to showcase the country’s success stories to enhance its image abroad.
Speaking as the chief guest at the Customers’ Gathering and SECI App Campaign of Sonali Exchange at the Bangabandhu Auditorium of the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Friday evening, Ambassador Imran emphasized the importance of sending remittances legally.
The event, jointly organized by the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC and Sonali Exchange, a subsidiary company of Sonali Bank, aimed to raise awareness about sending remittances to Bangladesh through legal channels.
Sonali Bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director, Md. Afzal Karim, attended the event as a special guest, while Devasree Mitra, CEO of Sonali Exchange Company Incorporation, USA, delivered the welcome address.
Ambassador Imran highlighted Bangladesh’s significant progress across all sectors over the past decade and a half under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He emphasized the positive achievements and changes that have occurred in the country during this period.
Imran stressed the importance of sharing Bangladesh’s success stories globally, believing that doing so would elevate the country’s stature on the international stage. He noted Bangladesh’s victorious history, achieved through the Liberation War under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu’s vision of establishing “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal) free from hunger and poverty remains a driving force for the nation, Imran stated, expressing confidence that Bangladesh is steadily progressing towards this goal.
The event saw participation from a large number of expatriate Bangladeshis residing in Washington DC and its neighboring states. Counsellor and Head of Chancery Shamima Yeasmin Smrite conducted the proceedings.
