The hot singaras, samosas and puris that many people across Dhaka rely on for morning, midday and evening snacks are becoming smaller as inflation squeezes the city’s snack sellers from both sides.
Small and medium-sized vendors say soaring costs of edible oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), flour and potatoes, combined with falling consumer purchasing power, are eroding profit margins and forcing them to cut portion sizes while trying to keep prices unchanged.
At Mojaddedi Sweets in Merul Badda, workers begin frying singaras, samosas and puris early each morning.
Owner Md Shahidul Islam told TIMES of Bangladesh that daily sales of singaras and samosas, which once stood between 700 and 900 pieces a year ago, have now fallen to between 300 and 500.
The business’s monthly costs have climbed sharply.
The shop uses at least 1,000kg of potatoes each month, costing around Tk22,000 at Tk22 per kg. Another Tk31,500 is spent on 500kg of flour at Tk63 per kg.
The biggest burden, however, comes from soybean oil. The shop consumes about 400 litres a month, costing nearly Tk76,800 at Tk192 per litre.
LPG expenses have also risen. Around eight gas cylinders are needed every month at Tk1,940 each, bringing the total to Tk15,520.
Onions, garlic, spices, eggs and other ingredients add another Tk30,000 to monthly expenses.
Altogether, the shop’s raw material costs now stand at nearly Tk1,94,000 a month, or roughly Tk6,460 a day.
A similar picture has emerged at Bismillah Kabab Ghor in Bakshibazar, a popular low-cost snack spot among office workers and students.
Employee Abdul Kader said the shop sells puris, potato chops, samosas, kebabs and biryani, producing around 800 fried items daily.
“Although a singara is still being sold at Tk10, rising ingredient costs have significantly reduced our profit margin,” he said.
Several customers at Bismillah Kabab Ghor said prices may not have increased dramatically, but the size and quality of the snacks no longer match what they once were.
Inflation rates have remained stubbornly high for several years, piling pressure on households and small businesses as food and fuel costs continue to rise ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), inflation stood at 7.70 per cent in 2022 before climbing to 9.88 per cent in 2023 and 10.5 per cent in 2024. The rate has remained close to 10 per cent in 2025.
An analysis of market prices over the past year shows soybean oil and LPG prices have risen by around 25 to 30 per cent on average.
In Malibagh, Suprobhat, known for its liver-filled singaras for nearly a decade, now sells more than 1,500 pieces a day.
Director Sohel Rana said the shop uses 70 to 80kg of potatoes, 25kg of flour and up to 40 litres of oil every day. Monthly oil consumption alone approaches 1,000 litres, while more than 15 LPG cylinders are needed each month.
“The raw material cost behind each singara has increased sharply. But if we raise prices too much, customers stop buying,” he said.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Director AHM Shafiquzzaman said, “Rising fuel and transport costs are increasing the expense of bringing raw materials into Dhaka from other parts of the country. Small businesses are seeing their profit margins shrink further.”
National Directorate of Consumer Rights Protection Assistant Director Abdul Jabbar Mondal said authorities were continuing market inspections ahead of Eid-ul-Adha.
“Several teams are working in the field every day, and legal action is being taken whenever irregularities are found,” he told TIMES.
