Sugar has become pricier in the country, though prices of the essential commodity fell on the international market.
Prices of the item went up by Tk 2.0-Tk 4.0 a kilogramme both at wholesale and retail markets of the country in the last two weeks.
Sugar was retailing at Tk 58-Tk 60 per kg on Tuesday.
State-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded nearly a 5.0 per cent hike just in a week.
Wholesale sugar price increased by Tk 2.0-Tk 3.0 a kg at Khatunganj in Chittagong, Moulvibazar and Karwan Bazar in Dhaka during the period.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, in its latest report, said global sugar prices declined by 3.4 per cent in February from January when overall food prices showed an upward trend (1.1 per cent).
The FAO Sugar Price Index averaged 193 points in February, down 7 points from January and hitting its lowest level in two years.
International sugar prices remained under downward pressure as production by major producers such as Thailand and India continued to expand, the FAO report said.
President of Bangladesh Chini Babosayee Samity, an organisation of Moulvibazar-based sugar wholesalers in the city, Sher Mohammad told the FE sugar prices increased by Tk 2 a kg at refiners' end in last two weeks.
He said refiners are now selling sugar at Tk 51-Tk 51.50 per kg.
However, traders at Moulvibazar sold sugar at Tk 1,900 a maund (37.32 kgs) or Tk 51.90 a kg on Tuesday.
"Prices of sugar have increased at a time when global prices have kept declining," said Golam Rahman, president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB).
At present, he said, production cost of sugar at refiners' end is maximum Tk 40 a kg including import duty.
"But they are making profits illogically by selling the product at Tk 48-Tk 52 a kg," he said.
Mr Rahman also requested the Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) to reveal production costs of sugar at refiners' end so that the commerce ministry could take necessary steps in this regard.
"The authorities concerned should take immediate steps long before the month of holy Ramadan as big players might raise the prices further during the fasting month when demand usually rises," he said.
Global commodity web-portal Indexmundi data showed that bulk sugar prices declined to US$ 300 a tonne in February from US$ 330 a tonne in November.
When contacted, general manager of City Group, one of the leading refiners, Biswajit Saha said that prices haven't increased at mill-gates as refiners are selling the product at Tk 48 a kg.
The refiners will further adjust the price keeping pace with the world market but it would take a few weeks.
Bangladesh consumes more than 1.65 million tonnes of sugar annually while it produces only 0.06 million tonnes, according to the data-2017.
Top ten refiners and importers in the country dominate 90 per cent of the sugar market including City Group, S Alam Group, Meghna Group, Abdul Monem Ltd, HRS Global, ACI, Deshbandhu, Masud and Brothers.
The refiners have the capacity to refine more than 3.5 million tonnes of sugar a year.
City Group is claimed to have the biggest refinery plant in the world with a capacity of refining 5,000 tonnes of raw sugar a day.
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