Edible oil prices remained 6.0-13 per cent higher than the government-fixed rates on Friday as refiners and distributors were yet to supply oils with new price tags, said city grocers.
Meanwhile, prices of brinjal, a vegetable used widely in Iftar during Ramadan, witnessed a Tk 30-50-a-kg hike last week.
On the other hand, cucumber, tomato, coriander leaf, fish and loose maida (finer wheat flour) also got costlier in the first few days of Ramadan.
Bottled soybean oil was retailed at Tk 165-168 a litre at most of the city groceries Friday against the government-set MRP of Tk 160 a litre.
Loose soybean oil, supply of which was limited till Friday, was sold at Tk 156-158 per litre, a Tk 4.0 a litre hike in seven days, said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).
Currently, the government-set MRP of loose soybean oil is Tk 137 a litre.
Loose palm oil was retailed at Tk 146-150 per litre marking a 6.0 per cent hike further, said the TCB. The government fixed the MRP of palm oil at Tk 133 a litre on March 20 last.
However, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on April 03, the first day of Ramadan, admitted that soybean oil, till then, was sold at Tk168 per litre, Tk 8.0 higher than the government-set rate while visiting the capital's Karwan Bazar kitchen market on the day.
Visiting different city markets Friday, this correspondent found prices of vegetables, especially that of brinjal, cucumber, coriander leaf, tomato and pointed gourd rose further along with chicken and fish last week.
Brinjal prices shot up to Tk 90-120 per kg - a Tk 30-50 a kg hike.
Cucumber was retailed at Tk 60-80 per kg, coriander leaf Tk 200-220 a kg, tomato Tk 50-60 and pointed gourd Tk 80-90- on and average Tk 10-20 a kg hike in the last seven days, said Sajedur Rahman Saju, a vegetable vendor in Rayer Bazar area.
He said papaya prices also increased to Tk 38 a kg at wholesales in the city's Beribadh area which was Tk 25 a kg just before Ramadan.
"We are retailing papaya at Tk 45-50 a kg (now)," he said.
Two other widely-consumed items, fish and loose maida (finer wheat flour) also became pricier in the week.
Hilsa was sold at Tk 750-1500 a kg, marking a Tk 150-200 per kg hike.
Loose maida price shot up to Tk 48-50 a kg, showing a Tk 4.0 a kg hike battering the commoners further.
