Rain damages crops, prices rise by Tk 10-20

Prices of locally grown onions have started to fall in Dhaka, as Bangladesh has resumed importing the kitchen staple from India after a long break.

Abdul Malek went to Sukrabad kitchen market to buy vegetables, only to be shocked to find that a kilogramme of both okra and pointed gourd was selling for Tk 100.

After a brief respite over the past few months, the prices of onions, vegetables, eggs and fish have risen again in the capital’s kitchen markets, placing additional financial strain on low- and fixed-income families.

Prices of various vegetable items have increased in the capital’s kitchen markets over the past week, with traders blaming a lack of supply due to countrywide rain.

Prices of most vegetables, except for potatoes, have increased by Tk 5 to Tk 10 per kilogramme over the past week in the capital’s kitchen markets.

Price hikes in Bangladesh are often blamed on syndicates, but the real cause is more complex.

The government plans to sell some vegetables at subsidised prices for the low-income groups as part of a pilot project in the capital.

Harunur Rashid, a retired government employee, was taken aback by the steep price rise of okra at the capital’s Karwan Bazar yesterday.

The prices of almost all vegetables have crossed the Tk 100-mark, piling pressure on the poor and the low-income segment already battling with a cost of living crisis for the past two years.

Spices and vegetables have become significantly pricier over the last one week largely due to inundated farmlands.

Over the last few months, Rupali Akter, the breadwinner of a five-member family in Savar's industrial belt, had to buy some of the essentials on credit from nearby groceries. With a monthly income of Tk 10,000 including overtime, the sewing operator at a garment factory is unable to pay for all the products she buys, as prices of essentials -- from rice to vegetables -- has been on the rise.

Picking up a bitter gourd at Karwan Bazar Kitchen Market, Ahammad Hossain asked the seller for its price. Upon hearing the reply, Ahammad's face instantly fell.