Written by The Banking Post
Shoppers in Dhaka are feeling the pinch as both vegetables and fish remain expensive ahead of Durga Puja. Prices of key items climbed further this week, frustrating consumers already struggling with high kitchen costs.
At Mahakhali’s Saat Tola market on Friday, van driver Saheb Ali stormed out of the fish section after refusing to pay Tk 200 a kg for pangas catfish. “Just three days ago it was Tk 170. I won’t buy your fish!” he said angrily.
Market visits to Mahakhali, Saat Tola, and Niketan showed little relief in vegetable prices. Most summer items—including ridge gourd, sponge gourd, snake gourd, and okra—sold for Tk 70–80 a kg, while bitter gourd, long beans, and aubergine fetched Tk 100–120.
Winter vegetables have begun to appear but at steep prices. Hyacinth beans were Tk 220–250 a kg, small cauliflowers Tk 50–60 each, radish Tk 80, and tomatoes Tk 140–160. Green chillies spiked to Tk 200 a kg, up Tk 40 in a week. Carrots were Tk 120–140, while cucumbers ranged from Tk 60–90.
Among leafy greens, red amaranth sold at Tk 25 a bunch, water spinach at Tk 15, and Malabar spinach at Tk 40–50. Coriander leaves stood out at Tk 330–350 a kg. Pumpkins were Tk 40–50 a kg, while green bananas remained relatively cheap at Tk 40 for four.
Potatoes offered some relief, holding steady at Tk 20–25 a kg. But onions ticked up to Tk 80, though some traders kept prices at Tk 75 for bulk buyers.
Traders blamed the surge in fish and vegetable prices partly on rising demand ahead of Puja celebrations. Consumers, however, see little justification, saying costs are becoming unbearable.
