Prices of essential products including dry food and drinking water have shot up in the flood-hit districts as traders increased their prices with rise in the demand of relief materials.

Millions of people in 11 districts including Feni, Lakshmipur, Comilla, Noakhali have been stranded due to flash flood.

Various organisations, associations, university students, private institutions and individuals have started relief activities to help the flood victims.

Demand for products such as chira, muri, jaggery, biscuits, candles, matches, orsaline, bottled water, life jackets have increased for three days to help the flood victims.

Many alleged that unscrupulous traders hiked prices of goods taking opportunity of this.

Expressing concern over the hike in boat fare, public transport fare, prices of candle, dry foods, drinking water and essential commodities, the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Chattogram, urged traders to stand beside the flood-hit people instead of doing business by capitalising the situation.

CAB came up with the call in a statement, issued on Saturday, signed by its vice-president SM Najer Hossain, general secretary Kazi Iqbal Bahar Saberi, metropolitan unit president Jesmine Sultana Paru, its general secretary Ajay Mitro, South district unit president Abdul Mannan and others.

It also urged businesses to stop doing business in the crisis of the country and stand by the people rather than distributing relief under social responsibility.

It also requested the business community, various business organisations, corporate houses and the affluent people of the country to come forward from their respective positions to do business following business ethics and morality.