"Almost 60 percent sales slid downwards as retailers over the country could not make their way to the wholesale market because of the increasing water level," said Golam Mawla, general secretary of Moulvibazar Businessmen Association.

There are more than 5,000 businessmen in the Moulvibazar area of which more than 2,000 are wholesalers and 3,000 retailers who together suffered because of this calamity, he added.

The floods have affected 42 districts. The communication network is completely cut off in many places. Roads and river ports have all gone under water.

Business came to a standstill as bazaars, shops and warehouses were submerged. Many small and medium businessmen have taken refuge in flood shelters. Not even retailers from nearby areas like Keraniganj, Nawabganj, Dohar, Munshiganj and Kamrangirchar could come to the wholesale market.

"I supply caustic soda to factories that dye grey cloth but now all factories are closed," said a chemical wholesaler of Moulvibazar.

The Moulvibazar wholesale market controls the supply of essential commodities to the city and other parts of the country. "The condition of all wholesale markets other than essential commodities markets is in dire straits," said a chemical products wholesaler of Moulvibazar.

But the wholesalers of essential commodities denied that their markets are better. "The stock of essential commodities is ample and we cannot supply them to other parts of the country," said a wholesaler of essential commodities.

By contrast, retailers blame the wholesalers for the price hike of the essentials. "Wholesalers don't supply ample essential commodities to the market and this causes a scarcity of essential commodities," said a retail shop owner of Shantinagar kitchen market.

Golam Mowla said the sugar price per maund was Tk 1,230 two weeks ago and its current price is Tk 1,075. The price of palm oil, which was Tk 1,400, is now Tk 1,295 per maund "The retailers are actually increasing the price," the general secretary said.

According to a TCB report released on Monday, the retail price of sugar is Tk 31 to Tk 32 a kilogram and palm oil is Tk 40 to Tk 41. The wholesale price of local onion is Tk 17 to Tk 18 a kilogram, whereas the retail price is Tk 20 to Tk 24.

TCB officials said the prices of commodities on the retail market are about Tk 3 to Tk 4 higher than on the wholesale market. Although the prices of a product increased about 25 paisa per kg on the wholesale market, the increase on the retail market was about Tk 3 to Tk 4.