While the atmosphere of the holy month of Ramadan is filled with mercy and forgiveness, a difficult reality of the struggle for life has been added to the lives of the common man along with worship. In this month of fasting, while on one hand, religious people are immersed in worship, on the other hand, the picture is quite different. Just as low- and middle-income people have to rush to work in the pursuit of livelihood, they have to stand in long lines despite the scorching sun to ensure the market for iftar at affordable prices.
In various areas of the city including Halishahar, Pahartali, Akbarshah, Tiger Pass and Kadamtali in Chattogram, a huge gathering of people is now surrounding the trucks carrying goods of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh or TCB, which is basically a reflection of the struggle for survival.
In the Kadamtali area of Sarezmin, hundreds of people are waiting in a long queue under the hot noon sun. A customer named Md. Jasim, who was standing in the queue for a long time, said that he has been standing here since noon, after fasting all day, just hoping to buy Iftar items at a slightly lower price.
He said regretfully that with the current increase in the prices of products in the market, it has become almost difficult to provide enough Iftar for a family with a small income. Therefore, despite enduring the pressure of long queues, he is standing behind the TCB truck, so that he can at least put pulses and rice and a little Iftar on the faces of the people in the house.
This Ramadan, some of the most essential products of daily life are being supplied at affordable prices from the TCB truck, including sugar at 80 taka per kg, lentil dal at 70 taka and edible oil at 115 taka per liter. In addition, the main ingredients of Iftar, chickpeas, are available at 60 taka and dates at 160 taka.
As this price is much lower than the general market price, TCB products are now a great source of hope for the middle and lower class people. Although this long wait is very difficult for the tired body of fasting, this saving at the end of the month brings a smile to the faces of the common people. In order to balance this difficult equation of life, worship and the struggle for survival are now intertwined.
