From sleepy rural towns to sleepless nights

As the sun rises over rural Bangladesh, the heart of the nation, its rays glisten softly, reflecting off grassy plains, paddy fields and sparkling ponds and rivers. 

Soon the country stirs to life, the picture becomes less rosy.

There is a palpable disturbance here, etched across the foreheads of communities populating the less traversed roads.

Meet Mohinul, a 60-year-old tea-seller, who has set up shop on Alexander-Sonapur road in Laxmipur. Earlier, he used to sell around 100 cups of tea per day at a price of Tk5. Although the price has stayed the same, there are fewer customers around. At the same time, the price of his key ingredients – sugar, milk and rice – has increased.

Mohinul can't afford to hike his prices in the face of dwindling sales. He is stretching his income, but how far will it go? "The cost of rice has soared from Tk40 or Tk50 per kg to a staggering Tk65 to TK70. I can't increase my prices. So, how am I supposed to survive?" he wondered.

The overall inflation rate in rural areas increased to 8.80% in February from 8.67% in January, outpacing urban inflation. Similarly, the food price index also rose to 8.19% from 7.92% during the period.

Amid this raging inflation, which is being tamed the world over, a sense of despair and uncertainty has gripped the people, who barely find anyone to share their troubles with.

Everyone is feeling the strain. The livelihoods of the people have shrunk.

Sales down, anxieties up

In the local markets of Cumilla, in the more rural parts, the extent of the problem is clear.

Despite the early morning, the normally bustling markets wear an almost deserted look.

Meet Shamshul Haque, who has a grocery store in Tomchambridge. He once had a thriving business, proceeds from which would go to support his family consisting of his wife, five daughters and two sons.

But with rising costs and falling sales, he is struggling to make ends meet.

Two of his daughters were married off thanks to the profits from his vegetable business, but those days are long gone.

The family's expenses far outweigh their income.

"I don't know who to talk to about my troubles," he says. "Everyone is in the same situation. No one in the house knows when we last ate chicken. Earlier, I used to buy beef, but that's not an option anymore. I'm already in debt, and if I start eating meat again, the burden will only increase. Can anyone solve this problem?"

Elsewhere in the district's Ramchandrapur Union, a 70-year-old Ishaq Miah pineapple seller stands under the beating sun, trying to attract customers who aren't even there.

Miah is another unwitting victim of inflation. He lives with his younger son, whose tuition fees are one of his most significant expenses.

The family's rent has also skyrocketed from Tk5,000 to Tk7,500. Despite his struggles, Ishaq remains resilient, earning a daily income of Tk200. His son brings home Tk10,000 a month, "I feel ashamed that my son has to work at his age," lamented Miah.

He said even the price of rice and pulses had increased. Meanwhile, his sales are down. Of the 100 pineapples in his cart, he had only sold 10. "These pineapples will spoil in a few days. There is absolutely no way to survive. Again, there is no way to talk about this," he said, the defeat evident in his voice.

It's the same across the country, taking the shine away from Gram Bangla, the poster child of Bangladesh's transformation story.

A depleting food basket

Meet Baburam Das, a cobbler in Lakshmipur, who has been struggling to make ends meet for his family of six, including four school-going children.

His business had been shrinking since inflation began to climb. Another surge in prices, ahead of Ramadan, has made matters worse.

His daily expenses exceed Tk400, but on many days he hardly makes any sales to cover that.

Under these circumstances, Baburam is finding it increasingly difficult to afford even basic necessities like fish and meat, which have seen price hikes of Tk60-Tk70, or even more.

"Our meals have changed. Now, we rely mostly on vegetables to get through the days," he lamented.

Even eggs aren't a preferred option any longer. The price of those has reached Tk220 for 20 eggs at retail, pricing out many consumers, and forcing Baburam to cut down on that as well.

Countrywide sales of chicken have dropped, almost by half in some places. The price of fish has also become exorbitant, forcing many to resort to cheaper ones like tilapia and pangas, among others.

Even the price of vegetables is much higher than before. Traders say they have been unable to lower prices to ensure stocks of up to 10 days. But even they feel the prices are too high.

"My father has been in this profession for decades. But even he has not seen such a dire situation in the market," said Jamal Hossain, a vegetable seller in a local Lakshmipur market.

Explaining the high price, Jamal said he now had to procure the goods at a higher price than before as the farmers themselves were experiencing the higher cost of production due to the hikes in fertiliser and labour rates.

These changes in diet and purchasing habits will have a profound impact on low-income households who are struggling to make ends meet. "We need to focus on nutrition so that we do not fall ill from undernourishment. Now commodity prices have gone up, so there is a risk of nutritional deficiency," Dr Abu Jamil Faisal, a public health expert, told The Business Standard earlier.

"But it should be kept in mind that nutritious food does not mean expensive food such as chicken and eggs. Vegetables also have nutrients. Even if the prices of vegetables have increased, we can still afford greens and gourds. Now those who have scopes should grow vegetables in their backyard," he suggested.

However, sometimes, growing vegetables is not an option.

Just six months ago, Iqbal Hossain lived in Panchthubi village of Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria district. They had a small parcel of land, which they used to grow vegetables. But as raw material prices rose, so did the difficulties in running the farm.

Now Iqbal sells fuchka, panipuri and bhelpuri in Cumilla's Rammala Junction. "We don't have the land or the farm anymore. We sold it all to meet increasing expenses," the father of two said.

"I want to spend time with my family and not stay away from them. But we need to feed our stomachs," he said.

Iqbal said he had never seen such high prices in 35 years of his life.

In the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, renowned nutritionist and honorary professor of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dr Khursheed Jahan, had said, "The level of malnutrition increased during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, due to an increase in commodity prices, people's food patterns are changing, the amount is decreasing, and as a result, the nutritional situation will worsen.

Malnutrition will now increase as much as it has decreased."

As people cut down on consumption, the consequence will be felt in the long term. The proportion of under-5 children with a low height for age or stunting is 31%, the proportion of underweight children is 22%, and the anaemia rate is more than 30%. This will only be exacerbated.

While the lower-income earners see their purchasing powers curtailed, the middle class is no better. In fact, the middle class is toeing a line thinning day by day.

No man left behind

Assistant professor Iqbal Hasan at Victoria Government College in Cumilla makes a tidy sum of Tk86,000 (including salary and allowances), which puts him in the category of a first-class government officer.

It's a good income, which should ensure he lives comfortably. But in the new global reality, even Iqbal has to stretch his pay cheque.

He has cut down on spending, but rising prices means his bang for his buck is growing less by the day. He also has to spend a portion of his money to take care of his less fortunate relatives.

On top of that, there are rising bills, education costs for his children and medical expenses.

"I now find myself accumulating debt instead of saving for the future," he said.

His situation belies the idea that those with a higher-than-average income have not been impacted by the rise in prices.

Those with a more modest income feel even more strain.

Meet Shankar Das, a private sector employee in Lakshmipur. He said despite earning Tk20,000 a month, he still struggles to meet the nutritional requirement of his four children due to skyrocketing prices of goods.

"We would eat broiler chicken for at least three to four days a month. Now, we haven't had chicken in the last 15 days," he said.

Many complain that although essential prices have increased, wages have failed to keep pace.

"The cost of living has increased dramatically, and our salaries have not kept pace. We are forced to cut down on food," said Jumman Sadiq, a renowned journalist in Bogura and an employee at one of the country's top private television stations.

To ensure that the nutritional needs of his child are met, Jumman has had to revise their weekly food intake, reducing their consumption of fish and meat.

The latest data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics shows that the wage growth rate stands at 7.11%, much lower than the inflation rate.

Against an 8.78% inflation, wage growth is 7.11% at the moment, according to the BBS.

Another problem the middle-class faces is that many shy away from government programmes to help those in distress.

Md Delwar Hossain, a lab assistant in a vocational school in Lakshmipur with a monthly salary of Tk10,500, struggles to afford basic commodities. But he hasn't even thought of getting a ration card from the government.

"I would feel ashamed standing in that line. In my last 30 years, I have not been able to save a single taka. The recent surge in prices means now, not only can I not save, but I also have to borrow to keep up with household expenses," he said.

Apart from food, another expenditure being cut is medical bills.

Abu Saeed Palli, a dentist from the Bhimpur area of Naogaon Sadar, has witnessed a decrease in patient numbers. Previously, his chamber would receive 10 to 15 patients daily, but now it is only four to five. "The stress caused by increased expenses has led people to reduce their treatments. Only urgent patients are coming to the chamber," he said.

As the sun sets on another day in Bangladesh, the struggle to survive continues.

The resiliency of the people, so applauded, is now being tested. The rising cost of living is taking its toll on their health, happiness, and sense of security. Will there be a light at the end of this tunnel, or will these hardships continue to haunt them? Only time will tell.

For now, the perseverance continues in silence – without any avenue to voice their pain and frustration.

Our correspondents: Awal Sheikh (Khulna), Tayubur Rahman Sohel (Cumilla), Azizul Shonchay (Brahmanbaria), Sana Ullah Sanu (Laxmipur) and Khorshed Alam (Bogura) contributed to this report.