FE Report
Prices of perishable items, especially fish and vegetables, and spices have risen exorbitantly in the city over the week.
Traders have attributed this price hike to the ongoing unscheduled transport strike.
Fish, both indigenous and cultured, increased by Tk 40-Tk 250 per kg in the past two days, much to the consumers' woe.
Transport owners have been on an undeclared strike for the past three days following the ongoing student movement for road safety.
The students are in protest after a road accident killed two students in the airport area on July 29.
The announcement of strike, however, was made by different transport owners' associations on Saturday evening, according press releases of such associations.
Pabda fish sold at Tk 550-Tk 950, tengra at Tk 500-Tk 650, golsha at Tk 500-Tk 650, shoal at Tk 450-Tk 550, shing and magur at Tk 600-Tk 850 a Continued from page 8 col. 5
kg last week.
Cultured rui and katla were sold at Tk 250-Tk 350 a kg.
The prices of hilsa also witnessed a rise by Tk 50-Tk 200 per piece or kilogram.
Rabiul Alam Sujon, a fish trader at Rayer Bazar kitchen market, told the FE that wholesale fish prices increased notably in just two days for supply shortage.
Pabda sold at Tk 400-Tk 650 a kg at Swarighat on Thursday. It was below Tk 300-Tk 550 earlier, he said.
Bangladesh Fish Traders Association president Golam Mortaza Montu said fish supply declined significantly for transport strike.
The city's kitchen markets also saw another round of hike in the price of vegetables.
Most vegetables saw an increase of Tk 5-Tk 25 compared to the prices on Thursday.
Snake gourd, pointed gourd, sponge gourd, brinjal, bitter gourd and local bean sold at Tk 60-Tk 160 a kg.
All types of leafy greens also witnessed a hike of Tk 5.0-Tk 10 per bunch.
Shafiqul Islam Rubel, a vegetable vendor at Dhanmondi Section 15, said vegetable prices have increased by 20-40 per cent wholesale in just two days.
Bangladesh Vegetable Wholesalers Association president Imran Master said supply declined by 80 per cent for transport strike on highways.
He said only 20 vegetable-laden trucks entered Karwanbazar on Saturday morning.
The number of vehicles entering the area is a minimum of 200 on normal days, Mr Imran added.
The situation will be worst if the strike continues.
However, broiler prices witnessed a further hike in the city with per kilogram selling at Tk 165-170.
Onion prices witnessed Tk 2.0-Tk 3.0 hike. The essential spicy item sold at Tk 60-Tk 70 (local) and Tk 42-Tk 48 (imported) a kg.
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