The prices of most essential commodities increased further in kitchen markets across the country on Friday, putting more pressure on low and middle-income consumers.
Consumers said the prices of daily commodities, especially of rice, flour, egg, chicken, ginger and vegetables, are going up day by day.
The continuous hikes in the essential commodity prices are affecting consumers who are already hit hard by the skyrocketing prices of other commodities.
While visiting Mohammadpur Kitchen Market in the capital, this correspondent found that sonali chicken was selling at a high price of Tk 320 per kg, broiler chicken at a high price of Tk 180 per kg, and layer chicken at a high price of Tk 300 per kg.
Ohidul, a chicken trader at the market, said there is no sign of a reduction in the chicken prices soon as its wholesale market has turned unstable.
The prices of farm eggs was Tk 145 per dozen while their price rose to 140-150 per dozen in the coupe of weeks.
The farm egg price has gone up to Tk 150 per dozen from Tk 140 per dozen in a week, said Md Shahin of Padma broiler at the market.
The price of farm eggs declined to Tk 120 per dozen in the first week of September.
The government reduced the palm oil (super) price by Tk 8 per litre, bottled soybean oil by Tk 14 per litre and loose soybean oil by Tk 17 per litre and increased the sugar price by Tk 6 per kg.
The price of bottled soybean oil has reduced to Tk 178 from Tk 185 per litre and loose soybean oil price declined to Tk 158 from Tk 175 per litre. The price of a five-litre soybean bottle has declined to Tk 880 from Tk 945. The price of one-litre palm oil has declined to Tk 125 from Tk 133.
Loose sugar price has been fixed at Tk 90 per kg from Tk 84 per kg and the packed sugar price is now retailed at Tk 95 per kg from Tk 89.
However, traders are selling the sugar at an increased price fixed by the government. On the other hand, soybean oil was sold at the previous high price.
Loose sugar was sold at TK 90 per kg and bottled soybean oil was sold at Tk 190 per litre on the day.
Medium rice price increased by 1.82 per cent in a week and was sold at Tk 54-58 per kg and coarse rice price increased by 1.02 per cent in a week and was sold at Tk 47-52 per kg, according to the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
The price of loose maida (flour) was hiked by 2.46 per cent in a week and was sold at Tk 60-65 per kg, and packet maida rose by 3.57 per cent in a week and was sold at Tk 70-75 per kg.
The price of earlier variety bean has declined to Tk 150 per kg from Tk 190-200 per kg in a week while carrot price to Tk 130-140 per kg from Tk 150-160 per kg.
Brinjal's price remained high at Tk 80-90 per kg, pointed gourd was Tk 70 per kg, okra was Tk 60 per kg and cucumber was Tk 60 per kg.
Cauliflower price was Tk 60, ribbed gourd was sold at Tk 80 per kg, snake gourd was Tk 70 per kg and bitter gourd was Tk 80-90 per kg.
The price of Tomato was Tk 140 per kg, green papaya was Tk 25 per kg, gourd was Tk 60 per piece, yardlong bean was Tk 70 per, and radish was Tk 60 per kg, said Sohel, a vegetable shop owner at Mohammadpur Kitchen Market.
