Special monitoring groups have been established in Dushanbe to control food prices during the holy month of Ramadan. Traders have been urged to adhere to fair trade principles, or else they may face legal consequences, the Dushanbe Police Department says.
Increased price monitoring
The law enforcement officers and official representatives from relevant agencies are conducting joint inspections. The stricter controls were introduced in response to citizen complaints about unjustified price hikes. Authorities report that some entrepreneurs are deliberately inflating prices on essential goods, taking advantage of increased demand.
“Such actions not only violate the law but also contradict Sharia norms and basic human morality,” law enforcement officials stated.
Alongside inspections, awareness campaigns are being conducted among vendors and business owners to ensure compliance. Authorities have urged them to maintain stable prices, warning that failure to do so will result in legal measures.
Annual price hikes before Ramadan
Every year, food prices on markets increase before Ramadan, causing concern among the public. The most affected items include meat, vegetables, fruits, and dried goods.
Earlier, Saidmukarram Abdulqodirzoda, Head of the Council of Ulema of Tajikistan, urged traders not only to refrain from raising prices but to lower them instead.
The mufti of Tajikistan stated: “Ramadan is not only a test of physical endurance and abstinence from food, but also a test of a person’s spiritual and emotional state, purity of intentions, and actions."
Abdulqodirzoda strongly condemned price gouging, particularly by those responsible for serving society.
"Artificially inflating prices to gain extra profit during this month is one of the worst deeds, condemned by the pure religion of Islam," he said.
The mufti referenced a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "If someone manipulates the pricing of food for Muslims, forcing them to rise, Allah will surely cast him into the Hellfire on the Day of Judgment."
Call for kindness and charity during Ramadan
During this holy month, Abdulqodirzoda encouraged people to follow moral and ethical principles by:
- Treating neighbors well
- Showing compassion and kindness to the sick
- Caring for the elderly
- Maintaining good relations with family and relatives
- Being generous and considerate towards friends and colleagues
He emphasized that all acts of kindness and generosity during Ramadan should be done solely for God's satisfaction rather than for social recognition or prestige.
