Bhelpuri seller Mujibur has to cut back on food

Mujibur Rahman sells bhelpuris – a type of fried snack – in front of the Eskaton Garden High School in Dhaka from 11am to 3pm every day. He then takes a break and again sits on the side of Hatirjheel Lake from 5pm to 10pm. He earns about Tk1,000-Tk1,200 by selling bhelpuris twice a day.

The bhelpuri seller has a family of two children and a wife. His daughter is in the eighth grade at Ispahani Girls' School and College, and his son is in high school at Dhaka Udyan Government College.

Mujibur and his family live in a sublet on Dhaka's Dilu Road. The monthly rent, including all bills, is about Tk11,500. The daughter's school and private tuition fees cost about Tk6,000, while the son's fees cost about Tk3,000. Mujibur has to struggle to meet the rest of the monthly expenses.

"I'm just barely getting by here. The cost of living in Dhaka is so high. There's no way to reduce any other expenses, so I have to cut back on food. I mostly buy vegetables and once a week, I can afford to buy Tilapia fish. We had chicken six months ago, when we had guests at home. Don't get to see beef except on Eid-ul-Azha. Life is now just a struggle," said Mujibur.

Mujibur started his bhelpuri business eight years ago. He said that the price of all raw materials has increased by at least three times since then. 

Comparing the prices before and after eight years, he said, "The tamarind that I use to make the sour sauce used to cost Tk55 per kilogram, but now I buy it for Tk150. I used to buy a kilogram of dried chili for Tk170, and now it costs Tk440. I used to buy the puris from the factory for 70 paisa to Tk1 per piece. Now it has become Tk3."

Mujibur Rahman has never wanted to compromise on his children's education, even if it means making sacrifices himself. But now, with the rising cost of living, he is unsure whether he will be able to afford to stay in the city with his family.