Mad rush to buy rice at BDR shops

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The BDR fair price outlets in the capital have been swarming with people from middle to lower-middle class in the last couple of days due to the rising price of rice.

Braving the scorching heat, people ranging from children to elderly were found struggling to stand on their feet for hours in the long queues at the outlets. Some of them were seen engaged in scuffle with others.

In the meantime, price of coarse rice hiked slightly at wholesale markets yesterday. The wholesale price of coarse rice including Indian Swarna and Ratna rose by Tk 10 per maund, selling at 1,270 to Tk 1,310 yesterday. The price of local varieties of coarse rice also rose by Tk 10 per maund.

At retail markets in the capital, a kg of coarse rice was selling from Tk 34 to Tk 40 per kg while a kg or rice was selling at Tk 25 yesterday at the BDR outlets.

The Daily Star correspondents during a visit to different BDR outlets noticed that the majority of the people in the lines for rice were women — some cradling their toddlers in their arms, having a hard time to save their children from the unbearable summer heat.

Many of these women arrived at the outlets early in the morning to secure a front spot in the line, said sources at the outlets.

Shahnur Begum, a slum dweller at Duaripara in Pallabi who came to the BDR outlet located near Pallabi police station, told The Daily Star that she along with her adolescent daughter had been standing in line since 3:00 in the morning.

After standing in the line for nine hours, her daughter fell sick due to the heat and scuffle among the customers, she said adding that locals had to take her daughter home.

“As the BDR started selling rice at 9:00am, a scuffle broke out to get ahead of the line. My daughter started crying and at one point she passed out. She could not bear the scuffle or the blistering heat,” she said.

“After a long struggle, I got five kg of rice at around 2:30pm,” said the visibly exhausted woman wearing a smile of satisfaction. “I am happy now since it is good for at least two days.”

Covering their heads with shopping bags, at least 1,000 people were seen standing in lines for rice at noon at Nawabganj BDR outlet. Many of the elderly in the lines were seen quivering due to the heat.

Although a separate line is supposed to be formed for the disabled, pregnant women, garment workers and the elderly, the correspondents saw only a single line at BDR outlets on Zakir Hossain Road, Salimullah Road and Ring Road at Mohammadpur, Indira Road, Mirpur 10, Pallabi, Azimpur staff quarter ground and Nawabganj.

When asked, BDR members at Nawabganj said the people who spend hours in line do not prefer separate lines. The BDR, however, makes special effort to sell rice to the people from the particular group, they added.

Col Mujibul Haq, BDR commander in Dhaka, said the BDR is trying hard to tackle the rush for rice. They are also considering increasing the number of lines to ease sufferings of the people, he added.

Elderly asthma patient Amir Ali Sikder had to step aside for a while after standing in line since early morning. “I am an asthma patient and I could not breathe standing amidst the huge crowd. That’s why I often come out of the line just to take some long breath,” he said.

When asked why he had to come to the outlet at such an age, Amir replied, “My son is a tea vendor on footpath and her wife takes care of my grandchildren. My conscience brought me here because I feel bad sitting around whole day when my son is struggling to provide for the family.”

Yasmin, a young girl standing in line at BDR outlet on Salimullah Road, said she had been waiting in line since 7:00am to purchase rice.

“My mother will start cooking for our family of six members after I get home with the rice,” she said adding, “It’s impossible for my rickshaw puller father to buy rice at Tk 36 a kg from retail stores.”

It is alleged that some people are making profits by selling the rice at higher price after purchasing it from the BDR outlets.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Food in a bid to relieve the people of the rising price of rice yesterday started direct sale of rice from trucks in different locations in the capital.

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