Prices of beef and poultry meat have increased further in the city markets just ahead of holy Shab-e-Barat with the demand soaring.
Besides, prices of some fishes, varieties of pulses, spices, sugar and vegetables showed a hike on Friday.
The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune and forgiveness, will be observed on May 01 across the country.
Apart from saying special prayers, people make traditional sweeteners, meat curry and breads (roti) on the day to greet neighbours, relatives and poor people.
Beef was sold at Tk 500-Tk 560, buffalo meat at Tk 480-Tk 500, goat (khasi) meat at Tk 750-Tk 820 per kilogram on Friday at city retails, up by Tk 20-Tk 40 in last seven days.
Md Rabiul Islam, secretary of Bangladesh Meat Producers Association in the city, said the demand for beef has increased notably in last few days as the religious event nears.
He said prices of animals increased by 10-12 per cent as a medium-sized ox, weighing 100 kgs, sold at Tk 34,000-Tk 35,000 each on Friday.
He said prices increased further for paying higher taxes at Gabtoli Permanent Cattle Market.
However, extortion on the highways was another key reason behind high prices of beef in the city, traders said.
Broiler chicken was sold at Tk 145-Tk 155 a kg on Friday which was four-month high, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Layer chicken was sold at Tk 185-Tk 195 a kg, Pakistani variety at Tk 260-Tk 300 a kg on Friday while prices of indigenous chicken increased to Tk 420-Tk 450 a kg.
The TCB data showed a 10.0 per cent hike in chicken prices in last seven days.
Md Safiur Rahman Ratul, a poultry farmer at Baliarpur in Savar, told the FE that poultry meat prices started increasing from the first week of April amid a decline in its production.
He said farmers incurred huge losses for lower prices of eggs and meat in last eight months. Hundreds of farmers quit their business resulting in a shortage of supply, he added.
Bangla New Year celebrations on April 14 and Shab-e-Barat on May 01 pushed up the demand, he said.
He said the higher price of chicken might continue until Eid festival.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said market monitoring by the government should be stricter to combat any artificial price hike before festive occasions, especially that of the holy Ramadan.
Prices of riverine fishes including shoul, pabda, shrimp, batasi, rui, tengra increased further by Tk 20-Tk 40 a kg on Friday.
Indigenous rui weighing above 2.5 kgs was sold at Tk 450-Tk 650, shoul at Tk 450-Tk 600, tengra at Tk 450-Tk 650, pabda at Tk 500-Tk 950 per kg based on their size and quality.
Garlic price increased by Tk 10-Tk 20, quality chickpea by Tk 10, sugar by Tk 2.0 a kg on Friday.
