The consumers in Dhaka are feeling the heat of inflation as price hike continues amid higher interest rates.
Prices of almost all consumer items including fish, vegetables, and other daily essentials saw their prices highest in a decade.
Vegetables, meat, and fish prices have remained stable, but at higher rates, said several consumers of different professions.
Talking with UNB they said that higher prices of almost all vegetables, fish, meat, and other essential commodities are unlikely to decrease for now.
Abul Hossain, a mid-level official of an autonomous organization told UNB that the taka has slid from 84 to 117 against the US dollar, which severely affected the consumer market.
Not only has it devalued taka, but also utilities and fuel prices have increased, and interest rates have soared. All of these rate hikes impacted the consumer market, he said.
Visiting different kitchen markets including Karwan Bazar, Mohammadpur, Mohakhali, and Malibagh it was observed that eggs were selling at Tk160 per dozen.
Beef was selling between Tk750 to Tk780 per kg on Friday based on quality, and saw a rise of price by Tk30 per kg than other days of the week. Mutton was selling at Tk1,000 to Tk1,180 per kg based on quality, which saw an increase of Tk50 per kg.
Ilish weighing about 450 gram was selling at Tk650 while Ilish weighing 1kg or more were selling at Tk1,800 to Tk2,000 per kg at Karwan Bazar fish market on Friday.
Ilish weighing 700 to 800 grams were selling at Tk900 to Tk1,000 per piece.
Fish like ruhit and carp were selling between Tk300 to Tk450 per kg based on size and quality. Other fish including riverine small fish were selling at Tk400 to Tk700 per kg on Friday.
The prices of vegetables have remained stable at higher rate this time compared to the previous years. Traders blamed inflation for this higher price. Vegetables including eggplant, okra, drumsticks, string beans, and bitter gourd were stable between Tk50 to Tk60 per kg on Friday. The prices of tomatoes have increased as the season is ending. Good quality tomatoes were selling between Tk60 to Tk70 per kg.
Vegetables like brinjal and others were selling between Tk50 to Tk60 per kg, bottle gourd, ash gourd, and cauliflower at Tk50 to Tk60 per piece.
The local variety of onion was selling between Tk70 to Tk80 per kg, garlic at Tk180 to Tk250, and ginger at Tk200 to Tk280 per kg based on quality.
The prices of other commodities including rice, wheat, flour, milk, soybean, and aromatic rice have remained unchanged.
