Shawdesh desk:

The rapid spread of COVID-19 has created a huge demand for oxygen cylinders in the country, triggering its price higher.

Not only the oxygen cylinders, but portable oxygen can also, pulse oxy-miter, portable ventilator, blood pressure machine, nebulizer machine, face shield and some other Covid-related medical instrument prices have increased the country due to higher demand.

People are storing oxygen cylinders, portable oxygen can, pulse oxy-miter and other related machine at home, fearing the effect of Covid-19 in the country and the price hike due to crisis of those products.

Due to the huge purchase, the price of oxygen cylinders, a life-saving tool in many cases, has shot up three to four times high in the market.

A huge purchase of oxygen cylinder by the common people also created a crisis of the product in the market for the couple of weeks, said the market insiders.

Sensing its higher demand and crisis of oxygen cylinder in the country, some unscrupulous traders have hike its price manifold.

Many traders are also selling those products after giving advertisement on social media and some are also taking advance order through such advertisement.

Different online traders also mushroomed in the capital and are giving home delivery service of oxygen cylinders and are also refilling the cylinder through advertisement at much higher price.

Contacted Oxygencylinderhomesrvice.com, Sajib Ahmed said currently, they have no oxygen cylinder but two cylinders will reach after 7pm on Sunday.

He asked Tk51,000 for Linde cylinders, a full setup of 2,000 liter, and Tk37,000 for a Chinese cylinder, a full setup of 2,000 liter.

Linde Bangladesh provides high quality medical oxygen in easy-to-use cylinders in Bangladesh.

Mr Alam of Linde Bangladesh said their oxygen cylinder stock is up over 20-25 days earlier and news stock will come by June 15.

He said the price of their 2,000 liter oxygen cylinder is Tk26,800 with a full setup.

Linde also keeps rental service and per day rent is Tk25+ 15% VAT while they also take security deposit Tk25,000 for the complete cylinder set that is refundable.

Doctor’s prescription and recommendation (for continuous use of medical oxygen at home), copy of National ID/Passport/Driving License and copy of Bank Account Cheque leaf are required for rental service from Linde.

Many families who have elderly persons with asthma, heart or lungs diseases are buying cylinders as a precaution and avoid visiting hospital during the corona period.

A 2,000-litre cylinder cost Tk11,000 while non-branded and low-quality Chinese cylinders with a capacity of 1,400 litres cost Tk5,000-Tk6,000 earlier.

A non-branded Chinese oximeter price is now Tk3,000 while the price was Tk1200-Tk1500 and different prominent brands’ price was Tk2,500-Tk3,000 and they are now selling at Tk4,000-Tk5,000.

Oxygen cylinder sale and its rent have become a lucrative business with the growing number of Covid cases and sufferings at hospitals.

Artificial crisis of oxygen cylinders is being created by dishonest traders during this pandemic and thus they are increasing the price.