Under a gloomy afternoon sky at Karwan Bazar, Abdul Barek stood in front of a vegetable shop, quietly asking the price of one item after another. The 50-year-old finally settled on half a kilogram of okra.

High cost of living is nullifying the effects of small gains in price control

Prices of vegetables and spices have seen a steady rise recently in the capital's kitchen markets while that of staple rice and edible oil remain steady.