Some key essentials, including beef, chicken and brinjal, saw their prices surge further on Monday, just a day before the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
The price of beef witnessed a sudden rise on the day, with traders selling the item at as high as Tk 600 a kg, up from Tk 530-Tk 550 earlier, ignoring the rates fixed by the city corporations.
The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) set the prices of beef at Tk 500-Tk 525 a kg for the month of Ramadan after a meeting with the Bangladesh Meat Traders Association, Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Merchants Association and other traders concerned on Monday afternoon.
The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) also usually set the same price as the DSCC.
Last year, the DSCC fixed the price of beef at Tk 450 a kg.
This year, the price of buffalo meat has been fixed at Tk 480 a kg, goat meat (khasi) at Tk 750 a kg, and meat of other goat varieties and sheep at Tk 650 a kg.
During a visit to some kitchen markets in the city on Monday, this FE correspondent found that beef was selling at Tk 550-Tk 600 a kg, an increase of Tk 30-Tk 50 over the previous day.
The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) recorded a hike of 8.0-12 per cent in beef prices just in two days.
According to the TCB data, the beef price has increased 22.3 per cent, compared with the prices a year ago.
Contacted, secretary general of Dhaka Metropolitan Meat Merchants' Association (DMMMA) Rabiul Alam said the beef prices rose a few days ago, before the fixing of the price, amid a surge in prices of animals.
He, however, said all the traders in the city have now been told to follow the city corporation-fixed rate.
The traders have also been instructed to maintain their code of conduct during the fasting month, including using digital scale, removing animal waste, keeping the shop's surroundings clean and, most importantly, following the fixed rate for meat, he said.
Mr Alam also said the people in Dhaka account for nearly 35 per cent of the total demand for beef.
Meanwhile, the prices of brinjal increased to Tk 60-Tk 80 a kg on Monday from Tk 50-Tk 60 a kg a day before.
Md Jewel Rana, proprietor of Bismillah Store at Shankar in West Dhanmondi, said brinjal prices rose by Tk 55-Tk 60 per five kg at Karwan Bazar on the day.
The demand for long brinjal has mostly soared, as it is used in preparing 'Beguni', a popular Iftar item, he said.
Kamal Uddin, a vegetable wholesaler at Rayer Bazar, said there is no shortage of brinjal, as it is a peak season for eggplants.
He said the demand for brinjal increased notably, as common people and restaurants started buying the produce at a large volume.
However, the price will become normal within two days, he added.
The prices of local chicken were stable but selling at a previous high of Tk 500-Tk 550 a kg.
However, prices of broiler and layer chicken soared by Tk 5.0-Tk 10 a kg. Broiler chicken was selling at Tk 160-Tk 165 a kg and layer at Tk 195-Tk 210 a kg in different markets.
Contacted, secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said the government monitoring agencies will now have two challenges -- keeping prices within the reach of commoners and ensuring safe food.
He also said that monitoring activities are absent in the markets in regard to illogical hike in prices of produce like chickpea, sugar, spice and other essentials.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com