The price of a kilogram of onion was Tk 16 to Tk 18 in TT Para open market in Kamalapur while the price was Tk 22 to Tk 24 in other kitchen markets on Friday. The price of a kilogram of rice in BDR operated markets was Tk 15.25 while the minimum price of a kilogram of rice was Tk 21 in Hatirpul kitchen market.

Price differences are noticeable not only for rice and onions but for other produce also.

Prices are lower in the BDR markets because the border security force buys produce directly from growers, eliminating all the cost in between.

"The produce we sell in our markets are bought directly from the growers, eliminating all the cost of the middle agents, and that enables us to keep the prices down. Moreover, we don't have to bribe anybody in the process," said Lt Col Fazle Akbar, chief coordinator of 'Operation Daal Bhaat - 2007'.

Even if BDR and retailers of other kitchen markets would buy the same produce in wholesale from Karwan Bazar, BDR would still be able to sell those for much cheaper than other retailers because it would buy those directly from the bazar while the other retailers would get the produce through sales agents, who would sell it to them adding their own profit margins to the cost.

"Prices of different produce are in decline after BDR started selling those in the capital," Anwar, a retailer in Hatirpul kitchen market, told The Daily Star.

"I am very happy to see that the price of every produce is less in TT Para open market than in the nearby kitchen market," said a resident of Gopibagh.

"If things keep on going like this, we will come to this open market from now on to buy our produce," said a local resident.

"Prices of essentials have gone down and our mission is successful," said Lt Col Fazle Akbar.

"We have succeeded in breaking the syndicate at Karwan Bazar wholesale kitchen market," he said adding that Narshingdi Shomobaye Samity, which once sold its produce to Karwan Bazar, is now selling those to the BDR operated open markets.

BDR took the initiative of setting up the open markets on March 15 to bring stability to the market prices of essentials.

After getting a huge response from the residents of the capital BDR set up 25 open markets on March 23 where retailers are selling their produce for comparatively cheaper prices than other kitchen markets.

"We are trying our best to bring the prices of essentials down to a tolerable level," Col Mojibul Haque, chief of operations of 'Operation Daal Bhaat 2007', said at a news briefing earlier.

Long queues were seen in front of most BDR operated markets in the last three days. The produce in those markets were sold out even before noon as the demand was much stronger than supply.

Meanwhile, retailers of different open markets complained to this correspondent that due to scorching heat their produce are rotting. They demanded roofs over their stalls.

"I bought produce worth Tk 1,100 in the morning, a half of those rotted due to summer heat," said Anwara, a retailer in TT Para open market.

"Besides there is no water supply in this open market," said Anwara adding, "We can't sprinkle water on the produce to keep them fresh."