Due to the increase in the price of electric products due to the increased demand, the Directorate of Consumer Affairs has raided the Rifles Club of Chittagong on Monday.

Heatwave is raging in various parts of the country including Chittagong. With intense heatwaves, electricity loadshedding is also increasing. People flock to charger fans and IPS (Instant Power Supply) shops to get some relief from the unbearable heat. And due to the increase in demand and sales, the prices of these products have increased in the market.

According to the information of buyers and traders, in the last one month, in the electric goods market, depending on the size and quality, each charger fan costs Rs 1,000-2,000, IPS Rs 3,000-5,000, IPS battery Rs 2,000-5,000 and AC Rs 5 ,000-7,000 has increased in price.

Rifles Club in Chittagong, Shah Amanat Market and CDA Market in Rayazuddin Bazar are famous for electric products. On Monday (April 22) at noon in these markets, it was seen that almost every shop was crowded with buyers. They flocked to buy charger fans, IPS, IPS batteries.

Shamim Ferdous, a student of a private university, came to Rifles Club to buy a charger fan after suffering from the heat during Rifa load shedding. He told The Business Standard, 'A medium-quality fan, which used to cost Rs 4,000 to 4,500, is now Rs 6,000. Visited a few shops; The price of each fan has increased by Rs 1,500-2,000.'

According to the Electricity Department, Chittagong has a demand of 1,400 to 1,500 MW of electricity during peak hours. But around 1,000–1,100 MW is available from the national grid. As a result, there is a shortage of 300 to 400 MW electricity almost every day.

Obaidul Haque, owner of Dallas Electric in Rifles Club Market, told TBS, '70-80 charger fans are being sold a day due to increased load shedding for the past one week. Last month the sales were at a maximum of 20-30 per day. Along with charger fans, IPS business is also doing well, selling 15-20 IPS a day.'

It has been seen on the ground that each charger fan of different domestic and foreign brands is being sold in the market from a minimum of four thousand taka to a maximum of ten thousand taka. And considering the capacity of the battery, the price of each IPS is from 20 thousand to 80 thousand taka.

Talking to shopkeepers and buyers, it is known that the price of each charger fan has increased by Tk 1,000-2,000 in the last one month. The price of a 12 inch charger fan in the market now is 4500 to 5000 taka.

Due to the demand, these products are being sold in other shops as well as electrical goods shops. Small or medium-sized charger fans are also available in street shops. There is a high demand for 14, 16 and 18 inch charger fans in the market.

Different types of IPS are also being sold in the market like charger fans. However, demand is high for medium quality 800 to 1,200 watt IPS. The price of these IPS is 20 to 35 thousand taka depending on the brand, which is three to five thousand taka more than last month's price.

Junayedul Haque, who came to buy IPS from Satkania, complained that the traders are hurting the common people by increasing the prices by capitalizing on the demand. 'A year ago the IPS was 35 thousand taka, today I see 45 thousand taka!' He said.

Mohammad Ilyach, an electrical goods seller at CDA Market in Reyazuddin Bazar, said that there was not so much demand for IPS even two years ago. Currently, the demand has increased and the price has also increased.

"Mainly due to reduced imports from China and Indonesia and wholesalers being forced to increase prices, they are forced to sell at higher prices," he said.

The seller said that the demand of Luminous, RahimAfroz, Extreme brand IPS is high in the market. Shahadat Hossain, another seller of the same market, said that he had sold at least 100 IPS in the last week.

Meanwhile, along with imported IPS, the demand for locally manufactured IPS has also increased. Many people are coming to mechanic shop to fix broken charger fan and IPS. Charger fan and IPS battery prices have increased on this occasion.

In the market, 6 volt battery of charger fan is selling for 700 to 800 taka and 12 volt battery is selling for more than 1000 taka. Even a month ago, these batteries were available for 300 to 600 taka.

Meanwhile, due to the increase in the price of electric products due to the increased demand, the Directorate of Consumer Affairs conducted a raid on the Rifles Club on Monday. In the campaign, three companies were fined 55 thousand rupees due to discrepancies in the prices in the vouchers for the purchase and sale of rechargeable fans and selling fans at high prices.

In this regard, Deputy Director of National Consumer Rights Chittagong Divisional Office, Mohammad Faiz Ullah said, 'Electrical product shops are charging extra prices due to increased demand. 3 companies were fined 30, 20 and 5000 taka as the sale of products at extra cost was proved in the raid.