People started buying essential products excessively on Saturday shortly after the government announced a weeklong countrywide lockdown from Monday to curb the surge in coronavirus.
People say they are mainly buying rice and other grocery items to avoid any problem during lockdown.
Cashing in on the panic buying, a section of traders were charging high prices.
Visiting a market in Narda area on Saturday, the correspondent found hike in prices of fish and vegetables.
Traders claimed the shortage of product supply led to the price hike. Consumers are rushing to the nearby markets to buy their essential goods hugely.
Karwan Bazar, one of the large marketplaces in the country, also saw overwhelming crowds as customers from different areas of the capital are buying their desired goods.
Traders mentioned that the crowd of shoppers as usual as weekly holiday. However, the flow increased ahead of lockdown.
Habubur Rahman, a trader in Rampura Bazar, said buyers have been gathering since (Saturday) morning. “My close customers are buying rice, pulses, oil, salt, spices, garlic, onions, ginger in large quantities. The prices of the goods are the same as before,” he said.
Moslem Ahmed, a government employee, mentioned that some products need to be stocked if they can't get out during the lockdown.“For this reason, I am buying a little more in quantity. Asked if prices had risen,” he said.
Buyers' presence was witnessed in two super shops in Gulshan and Mahanagar projects.
A salesman of a Gulshan super shop said there was such a crowd on Saturday. But today he seems to be a bit more. This salesman said many people are buying hygiene products.
Many buy essential commodities like rice, pulses, edible oil, salt, potatoes and onions a little more than they need. Buyers are likely to call everyone who looks appropriate, if there are only a few.
