Fuel price hike strains Sylhet’s essential goods market

The recent fuel price hike has pushed up transportation costs in Sylhet, with higher freight charges contributing to rising prices of vegetables and other essential commodities.

Truck and covered van freight charges across various routes have risen by Tk 2,000 to Tk 5,000, forcing traders to incur higher transportation costs. This has driven up the prices of essential commodities, causing significant distress among the public.

A visit on Thursday to markets in Sylhet city including Sobhanighat, Madina Market, Rikabibazar, Ambarkhana and Subidbazar revealed that prices of all types of vegetables and essential goods had risen within a single day.

Traders said increased transportation costs mean they are purchasing goods at higher prices, with a portion of the additional cost being passed on to consumers through higher retail prices.

Masum Ahmed Laskar, General Secretary of the Sylhet District Truck Workers’ Union, said the fuel price hike has led to higher freight charges for long-distance goods transport.

Previously, the truck fare from Dinajpur to Sylhet ranged from Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000, but an additional Tk 2,000 to Tk 5,000 has now been added to the cost.

A truck driver at the Sobhanighat stand said the fare for a trip to Dhaka in a medium-sized truck previously ranged from Tk 12,000 to Tk 15,000, but now drivers have to charge Tk 18,000 to Tk 20,000.
Abdul Gaffar Mintu, President of the Kalighat Perishable Goods Wholesalers’ Association, said the rise in fuel prices would increase transportation costs, thereby driving up the prices of both industrial and consumer goods.

However, he noted that freight charges might not necessarily rise at the same rate as fuel prices.
Abdul Kadir, a wholesaler at the Sobhanighat vegetable market, said transportation costs have increased by Tk 20 per sack since Tuesday. He added that if goods are procured at higher prices, they have to be sold at higher prices as well.

He further claimed that the rise in transport fares has made it difficult to secure vehicles when needed, raising concerns about the potential deterioration in the quality of fresh and highly perishable produce.

Depending on size and quality, eggplants were selling for Tk 90 to Tk 130 per kilogram on Thursday, compared with Tk 80 to Tk 120 two days earlier. Cucumbers were selling for Tk 50 to Tk 80 per kilogram, up from a minimum of Tk 40 the previous day.

The price of a set of four farm eggs rose from Tk 50 two days ago to Tk 55. Sellers also reported price increases for green chilies, garlic, flour (atta and maida) and edible oil.

Habibur Rahman, who came to shop at Madina Market, said the prices of various commodities are rising alongside the fuel price hike. Transport fares are also increasing, making it increasingly difficult to manage household expenses. Due to the rising costs, he has had to trim his shopping list.

However, the fare hike has led to a decline in the number of trips, with drivers often waiting all day without securing a single trip, he said.

Shabbir Ahmad Foyez, Organizing Secretary of the Sylhet Divisional Truck Owners-Workers Coordination Council, pointed out that long-haul truck fares have not been officially regulated since independence.

While the government sets per-kilometre fares for buses, no such mechanism exists for freight transport, he said.

He explained that, as a result, truck owners and traders have to negotiate rates. Fares rise when demand is high, whereas an oversupply of trucks creates room for bargaining.

Consequently, freight charges lack stability, he said.He called for government intervention to regulate and standardise freight transport fares.

Several traders at Kalighat, a wholesale market in Sylhet, said truck owners are revising their rates following the fuel price hike, resulting in higher transportation costs for goods.

They also said securing trucks has become difficult, causing a slight increase in product prices.