Living cost in Dhaka increased 8.44 pc in 2017

Living cost in the capital city marked 8.44 percent rise in 2017 because of the price hike of essentials as well as tariffs of utility services, including that of food, house rent, electricity and gas, according to Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).

CAB president Golam Rahman came up with the statistics at a press briefing at Dhaka Reporter's Unity (DRU) on Tuesday morning, reports UNB.

CAB scrutinised the data of 15 kitchen markets, 144 food products, 22 essential items and 14 utility services, including gas, electricity and water.

Golam Rahman said onion prices posted a 40.99 percent rise, while rice price hiked by 20.40 percent, vegetables by 24.72 percent, liquid milk by 20.36 percent and beef by 19.28 percent last year.

Gas price marked a rise by 6.44 percent, water (per liter) 5 percent and house rent 8.14 percent in the service sector, he added.

The organisation also placed a 10-point recommendation to cut down the high living cost, UNB added.

The recommendations include formation of a separate department of 'Supply and Price' under Commerce Ministry to control the prices of daily essentials, reforming the House Rent Act 1991 and forming a House Rent Commission.

The latest spike in the living cost was higher than in 2016 when it rose by 6.47 percent in the capital.





AIMD