LATEST
Bangladesh defeated Pakistan 21 years ago, played in final, can they repeat it? Rice, vegetables prices up, consumers in limbo Speaker proposes direct polls for women in 100 JS seats We need a Humayun in the age of internet Rahul accuses Modi of ‘tapping his phone’ I’m getting death threats: Mitu Govt offers food relief to RMG workers Wage Board delay risks RMG stability Millions remain undiagnosed No return, only extradition
Skip to content

Sunday | November 15, 2026 | Dhaka

Soaring Cost of Living Demands Urgent Market Intervention

 Editor Desk
 Published: 12:05 AM, 15 November 2026

THE rising prices of daily essentials, gas, electricity, and fuel — coupled with increased costs across every sector, including housing, healthcare, education, and transportation — have made it difficult for ordinary people to manage their household expenses. According to media reports, many families are taking on debt, dipping into their savings, or cutting back on their food consumption.

Meanwhile, the latest survey on living standards by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) reveals that 47.42 percent of households in the country have been forced to borrow money to cover their living expenses. The average monthly expenditure of a household exceeds its average income.

Consequently, the burden of debt is growing as people try to cover this shortfall — most notably among the middle class. The situation is even direr for those who have no savings and no one to turn to for a loan.

The BBS data further disclose that the overall inflation declined to 8.27 percent in October, while the rate of wage growth also fell to 7.63 percent during the same period.

Though the drop in inflation is a welcome development, income levels have yet to keep pace with rising prices. Salaries and allowances for government employees have been increased but there is no such guarantee of income growth for private-sector employees, small business owners, daily wage earners, and workers in the informal sector.

There is no effective mechanism for adjusting the wages of private-sector employees. Consequently, these impacts the expenses of ordinary people incur for food, healthcare, and transportation.

Many families are reducing their consumption of nutritious foods such as fish, meat, milk, and fruit, while some are even put off necessary medical treatment. Needless to say, a decline in the standard of living also affects the health and education of family members. Rising fuel prices have a significant impact on the increasing cost of living.

On a positive note, the government has indicated that it is taking steps to address the crisis. If these steps proceed in the right direction, positive outcomes can be expected. It is essential that oversight be both regular and visible. Furthermore, it must be ensured that the benefits of any tariff reductions are actually reflected in the market.

We believe that benefits from social safety net programmes must be transparently delivered to the truly poor and vulnerable families.

Above all, the focus must be on reining in the prices of essential commodities. It is expected that the government will take effective measures to curb the influence of syndicates and prevent artificial crises, thereby ensuring that the prices of daily necessities remain within the reach of the people.