Fish and garlic became costlier last week compounding the woes of the consumers further who were already battered with rising rice prices.
The prices of onion, however, showed a downward trend while that of most other essential items remained static in the last seven days ending on Thursday.
Fishes including hilsa, shrimp, pabda, indigenous ruhi and katla, catfish like shing, magur and tengra and snakeheads like shol and taki became pricier by Tk 80-100 per kilogramme (kg) or piece in last week. But the prices of cultured varieties including pangasius, koi and tilapia remained static.
Pabda of different quality and sizes was sold at Tk 500-1,100 per kg, shol Tk 450-600, shrimp Tk 400-1,050 and both, shing and magur Tk 500-900 on Thursday.
Md Aminul, a fish vendor at Dhanmondi Road No. 15 in the capital, said prices had increased significantly at major wholesale markets in the last one-and-a-half-week.
Aminul said he bought medium-sized (weighing 700-850 grammes) hilsa at Tk 3,200 per hali (four pieces) from Karwan Bazar on Thursday which was Tk 2,700-2,800 seven days back.
Bangladesh Fish Traders Association (BFTA) President Mortuza Khan Montu said the prices of river fish have increased considerably amid a decline in catch in major sanctuaries this year.
He said October-January is the peak fish catching season in the rivers.
Collection of river fishes seems to have declined by 25-30 per cent this season, he added.
The prices of garlic, one of the main cooking ingredients, increased to Tk 70-90 per kg on Thursday from Tk 60-80 a kg earlier.
Onion - both local and imported ones - declined by Tk 4.0-5.0 a kg in a week.
Local onion was selling at Tk 30-35 and imported varieties Tk 22-30 a kg.
Rice prices, however, remained static last week maintaining its previous hike.
Coarse varieties of rice were selling at Tk 40-44 a kg, medium quality Tk 50-55 and finer quality Tk 56-70 on the day.
Rice prices witnessed 5-10 per cent hike in the last three weeks, according to the state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.
