A special festive sale campaign launched by the Chattogram district administration ahead of Eid‑ul‑Adha has provided welcome relief to consumers in several major city markets, including the bustling Riazuddin Bazar, traders and insiders said.
The three‑day initiative, held from 23 to 25 May, aimed to stabilise prices of essential commodities during the festive season. As part of the campaign, spice and grocery traders offered discounts of 10–20 percent on a wide range of daily necessities.
Business leaders noted that traders responded positively to the district administration’s call, easing pressure on households preparing for Eid.
The campaign was officially inaugurated on Saturday morning at Riazuddin Bazar, one of Chattogram’s largest retail hubs. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chattogram District Md Zahidul Islam Miah launched the programme with the slogan — “Prices will fall, joy will rise during the festival.”
Under the initiative, prices of several essential items were reduced significantly. Cardamom prices dropped from Tk4,800 to Tk4,200 per kilogram, cinnamon from Tk600 to Tk520, and cloves from Tk1,600 to between Tk1,350 and Tk1,400. Raisins were sold at Tk720 instead of Tk980, ginger at Tk150 instead of Tk190, and garlic at Tk110 instead of Tk140 per kg.
Onion prices also declined by Tk25 to Tk40 per kg depending on quality. Cumin prices fell from Tk750 to Tk520, Indian cumin from Tk650 to Tk570, and sweet cumin from Tk280 to Tk225 per kg. Discounts were also offered on black pepper, nutmeg, chili, turmeric, coriander and several other spices.
Mohammad Salamat Ali, president of the Riazuddin Bazar Banik Kalyan Samiti, said the business community joined the initiative following a request from the district administration.
“We were requested to help consumers purchase products at comparatively lower prices during the festive season. In response, nearly 100 spice and grocery shops in our market participated in the campaign,” he said.
To ensure compliance, the association formed a five-member monitoring committee that supervised market activities throughout the campaign period.
Salamat Ali said traders also wanted to counter the common perception that prices inevitably rise during Ramadan and Eid.
“We fully cooperated with the district administration to change that negative image,” he added, while noting that prices may gradually return to normal after the campaign ends.
The district administration said the initiative was taken to reduce market volatility during major festivals and create a more consumer-friendly environment. Alongside the discount campaign, mobile courts were deployed regularly to monitor markets and protect consumer rights.
On 24 May, mobile court teams conducted drives in Kazir Deuri and Pahartali areas, filing three cases and collecting Tk9,000 in fines over various irregularities.
Officials said the campaign’s impact has already started spreading to Khatunganj, the country’s largest wholesale market, particularly in stabilizing the ginger market.
According to district administration sources, around 41 containers of imported ginger had remained stuck at Chattogram Port, creating pressure on supply and prices. Following coordination with customs authorities, 37 containers were released, helping reduce ginger prices in both wholesale and retail markets by nearly Tk40 per kg.
Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Md Zahidul Islam Miah said the administration is trying to establish a new culture of reducing commodity prices during festivals through cooperation with the business community.
“The positive impact of this campaign is already visible in the market,” he told Times of Bangladesh. “The Riazuddin Bazar Businessmen Association has provided a written commitment to reduce prices of Eid essentials, including spices, ginger, onions and garlic, by 10 to 20 per cent.”
He added that district administration monitoring teams had already inspected several chain shops and markets across Chattogram and found prices of many products had decreased instead of rising.
Although the initiative initially began as a three-day campaign in selected markets, the deputy commissioner said market monitoring and price control drives would continue until Eid-ul-Azha. He added that more markets and chain shops across the district would gradually be brought under the program.
