However, analysis of agricultural marketing department information shows that currently rice prices in three divisional towns – Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet are cheaper than the newly determined minimum price of rice. In Rajshahi, the price is Tk 45, and in Rangpur and Sylhet it is Tk 46.
Questions are being raised on fixing the same price for the entire country because the price is cheaper in the production areas and villages.
Market analysts believe that if the same price is fixed for all areas, there is a fear of price increase in areas where rice is cheaper.
The price of rice has remained high in the country for the last four years. According to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the price of coarse rice in Dhaka markets is now Tk 50-52, semi-fine rice at Tk 55-58 and fine rice at Tk 65-76.
At the beginning of 2020, the price of coarse rice was Tk 30 while the lowest price of fine rice was Tk 45.
TCB said, the price of rice has increased by 3-8 percent in the last one month.
The increase in rice prices has the biggest impact on the inflation rate. Due to the high price of rice, the inflation rate in the country has remained close to 10 percent for a long time.