Many residents of Badakhshan are complaining about the rising prices of basic goods during the holy month of Ramadan.

According to them, some shopkeepers arbitrarily raise the prices of food items during Ramadan, and due to poverty and unemployment, they cannot afford to buy them.

For years, the increase in food prices during the holy month of Ramadan has become an unwelcome tradition in the country.

Abdullah, a resident of Badakhshan, said: "They have set the price of one kilo of meat at 350 Afghanis, and the price of fat meat is around 400 to 450 Afghanis during the holy month of Ramadan, it should decrease a bit. Before Ramadan, 7-kilos of onions was 120 Afghanis, now it is 180 Afghanis."

"The prices are high, we poor people earn 120 to 150 Afghanis a day, there are days now that we don’t earn 20 Afghanis or nothing at all," said Mohammad Yasin, another resident of Badakhshan.

Meanwhile, some shopkeepers in Badakhshan have their perspective on the rising food prices during the holy month of Ramadan.

"7-kilos of onions costs us 22 to 23 Afghanis for its transportation, and sure it has expenses, and a bag of onions costs 140 to 150 Afghanis for us and we sell it for 160," said Abdul Basir, a shopkeeper.

"The selling price is oppressive, especially during Ramadan. If a shopkeeper helps a person by giving him a discount of even 5 Afghanis, it can help him/her," said Abdul Momen, another shopkeeper.

The Faizabad Municipality ensured strict market regulation and pricing.

"We have instructed a committee to control the prices of food items so that they sell them at the same price as before Ramadan, because during Ramadan, some traders and shopkeepers mark up prices on their own," said Abdul Ghafor Sirat, mayor of Faizabad.

The Faizabad Municipality warned that if shopkeepers and food sellers do not comply with the set price list, their shop doors will be closed and they will be legally pursued.