Rising living costs are taking a toll beyond food and daily essentials, with prices of cooking pots, pans and other household utensils climbing by 15-20 per cent over the past 12-18 months, adding to the financial pressure on consumers.
Traders attribute the increases to higher raw material, gas, electricity and transport costs, while buyers say even replacing basic kitchenware has become increasingly expensive.
Visits to shops in Dhaka’s New Market and Kawran Bazar found that a four-kilogram aluminium cooking pot now sells for Tk2,700, up from Tk2,400 a year ago.
Similarly, the price of a four-kilogram silver pot has increased from Tk1,800 to Tk2,400. Woks, frying pans, rice cookers and pressure cookers have also become Tk200-300 more expensive, depending on size.
Retailers said customers were increasingly reluctant to spend on expensive kitchenware, although purchases continued out of necessity.
Prices of smaller items, including steel spoons, melamine plates and plastic products, have risen by Tk5-10 per piece. Traders said such increases often went unnoticed, but customers were more cautious when buying costlier products.
Hossain Ali, owner of Hossain Crockeries at Dhaka New Market, said a brass cooking pot that previously sold for Tk2,500–2,600 now costs Tk3,000.
“We cannot charge too much. We have to sell at a small profit to keep the business running,” he told TIMES.
Abdul Matin, owner of Bhai Bhai Crockeries at Kawran Bazar, said manufacturers had raised prices repeatedly.
“One company increased its prices by 10 per cent just a week ago, after raising them by another 10 per cent earlier,” he said.
“When customers come, we explain the situation. There is nothing else we can do.”
The higher prices are forcing consumers to reconsider purchases.
Mopu Marma, who came to New Market to buy a wok, said she had expected prices to be lower.
“I came here hoping to find something cheaper, but prices are not particularly low. Kitchenware has become more expensive, just like everything else. Managing household expenses is becoming difficult,” she told TIMES.
Mukta Akter, who visited the market with her sister to buy household items, said families had little choice but to pay the higher prices.
“Kitchen utensils usually last a long time. But when we come to replace them, we find prices have gone up,” she said.
“We need these things for cooking, so we buy them despite the hardship.”
Meanwhile, Dhaka’s kitchen markets showed mixed price movements over the past week, with chicken and eggs becoming cheaper while fish prices increased.
At Kawran Bazar, aubergines were selling for Tk70-90 per kg, bitter gourds Tk70-80, locally grown carrots Tk100-120, snake gourds Tk60, yardlong beans Tk70–80 and okra Tk60.
Sweet pumpkins were priced at Tk40 per kg, green papayas Tk30, pointed gourds Tk70, taro roots Tk60, tomatoes Tk160-180, spiny gourds Tk70-80 and green chillies Tk150.
Early winter beans were selling for Tk120-140 per kg, while bottle gourds cost Tk60-70 each. Cauliflowers and cabbages were priced at Tk50-60 apiece, depending on size.
Broiler chicken prices declined by Tk5-10 in some markets over the week. Broilers were selling for Tk170-180 per kg, compared with Tk190 the previous week.
Sonali chicken was priced at Tk300–320 per kg, while beef sold for Tk800 and mutton for Tk1,200.
Egg prices also eased, with a dozen brown farm eggs falling to Tk140 from Tk150 last week. White farm eggs declined to Tk130 a dozen from Tk140.
Fish prices, however, remained higher than the previous week.
Medium-sized farmed rohu was selling for Tk350-380 per kg, catla for Tk300-450 and kalbaush for Tk500-700, depending on size.
Farmed pangasius was priced at Tk250-260 per kg, tilapia at Tk250-300 and medium-sized koi at Tk200-250.
