Prices of essential commodities across markets in Chattogram have shown no sign of easing over the past week, with prices of most items remaining elevated while certain vegetables recorded fresh price hikes.
Buyers, particularly those from limited-income households, continue to face severe financial strain in managing daily household expenses amidst high prices for fish, meat, poultry, eggs, vegetables, and grocery items.
Although footfall in the markets remains steady, consumers are significantly scaling back their purchasing quantities. On Friday, visits to key city venues – including Reazuddin Market, Kazi Deuri Market, and Karnafuli Market – revealed that virtually all daily necessities are being sold at steep rates.
Steep hikes across vegetable, fish markets
Consumers complained that they are no longer able to purchase goods in quantities similar to previous levels, while retail vendors maintained that prices cannot be reduced because they are forced to buy stock at higher rates from wholesale depots.
Wholesalers attributed the market pressure to mounting import, shipping, and transport expenses. In the vegetable market, carrots are selling at Tk100 to Tk140 per kilogramme, tomatoes at Tk120 to Tk150 per kg, hyacinth beans at Tk220 to Tk250 per kg, yardlong beans at Tk 60 to Tk 70 per kg, eggplants at Tk80 to Tk100 per kg, cauliflowers at Tk60 per piece, cabbages at Tk 80 per piece, ridge gourds at Tk80 to Tk90 per kg, and bitter gourds at Tk80 to Tk100 per kg.
Figures provided by traders indicate that tomato prices surged by approximately Tk 20 per kg over the course of a week, whilst hyacinth bean prices jumped by Tk30 to Tk50 per kg, with other vegetable prices remaining largely unchanged.
Expressing frustration, Md Nasir, a buyer, remarked, “It is impossible to buy all necessary items. Even purchasing one or two kgs drives total expenses up significantly. Traders claim depot owners are raising prices.”
In the fish market, Rui and Katla are selling between Tk 300 and Tk 430 per kg depending on size, Pangas from Tk180 to Tk250 per kg, Tilapia from Tk200 to Tk250 per kg, Mrigal from Tk250 to Tk300 per kg, and Loitta from Tk200 to Tk250 per kg.
Premium varieties command even higher rates, with Koral priced at Tk650 to Tk1,000 per kg, Baim at Tk600 to Tk800 per kg, and native Koi (deshi koi) at Tk700 to Tk800 per kg. Hilsa (Ilish) is being sold from Tk800 up to Tk1,800 per kg based on size.
Meat, poultry, and essential groceries strain budgets
High prices persist in the meat and poultry sector as well. Beef is priced at Tk 750 to Tk 800 per kg, whilst boneless beef ranges from Tk950 to Tk1,050 per kg, and mutton stands at Tk 1,200 per kg. Broiler chicken is selling at Tk175 to Tk180 per kg, Sonali chicken at Tk320 to Tk350 per kg, and native (deshi) chicken at Tk600 to Tk800 per kg.
Farm-raised red eggs are selling for Tk 150 to Tk 155 per dozen, whilst white eggs are retailing at Tk140 to Tk145 per dozen. Shahadat Hossain, a shopper at Karnafuli Market, stated, “The market situation has reached a point where necessity does not match affordability.
“Fish prices are high, meat prices are high, and vegetables are not cheap either. We try to meet protein demands by buying eggs, but prices are rising there as well.”
Another consumer, Yasin Faruk, noted, “I can no longer buy the quantity of fish, meat, vegetables, and groceries I used to buy. Although I hear news about price drops, I see no reflection of it in the market. I do not hear any news of market monitoring either.”
The grocery market offers no relief either. At Bokshirhat wholesale market, Indian fine red lentils are priced at Tk150 to Tk160 per kg, coarse red lentils at Tk90 to Tk110 per kg, mung beans at Tk130 to Tk160 per kg, chickpea pulses at Tk95 to Tk100 per kg, and pea pulses at Tk60 to Tk70 per kg, with wholesalers reporting a fall in demand for pulses.
In retail markets, fine Aman rice is selling at Tk72 to Tk75 per kg, medium rice at Tk 56 to Tk 60 per kg, coarse rice at Tk48 to Tk50 per kg, packaged flour at Tk58 to Tk61 per kg, sugar at Tk132 to Tk135 per kg, chickpeas at Tk 85 to Tk90 per kg, and mung beans at Tk122 to Tk128 per kg.
Furthermore, onions are retailing at Tk55 to Tk60 per kg, garlic at Tk130 to Tk140 per kg, and ginger at Tk120 to Tk140 per kg, with minor price variations recorded across different markets for rice, pulses, and other groceries.
Addressing poultry price increases, vendor Abul Kalam explained, “We do not increase prices intentionally. We have to add transport and shop operational expenses to the purchase price from poultry farmers. Selling at previous prices would lead to losses.”
Grocery trader Md Rubel echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Buyers get angry with us. However, we have no control over the purchase prices. If prices remain high at wholesale depots, it is difficult to reduce retail prices.”
Supply chain pressures and demands for market oversight
Providing the wholesale perspective, SM Mohiuddin, General Secretary of Khatunganj Aratdar Samity, stated that higher import-stage costs, shipping fees, and transport expenses – compounded by domestic fuel price hikes – have driven up transport costs and exerted pressure on wholesale markets, though wholesale rates for certain goods have begun to fall.
Commenting on the situation, SM Nazer Hossain, vice president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), remarked that while legitimate increases in transport or import costs may naturally reflect in market prices, there is no scope to unreasonably inflate prices under the guise of such expenses.
He urged for thorough verification of actual purchase prices, transport costs, and selling rates at every tier from wholesale to retail.
Asserting authority response, Mohammad Fayez Ullah, deputy director (Chattogram Division) of the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, assured that regular market monitoring is being conducted to safeguard consumer interests and that legal action will be taken against any irregularities.
He added that regulatory drives encompass verifying whether updated price lists are displayed at business establishments, purchase and sale vouchers are properly maintained, and commodities are sold at designated prices.
