Prices of hilsa and other fishes, meat and vegetables in the city markets witnessed a fresh hike last week, raising woes of the common consumers.
Traders attributed the skyrocketing trend of hilsa prices to the 'Pohela Boishakh' (first day of Bangla New Year) festival, to be celebrated across the country tomorrow (Sunday) that fueled up the demand for the silver fish by manifold.
The supply of hilsa was ample in the market despite a two-month (March-April) government ban on its collection in six sanctuaries. But its prices were much higher compared to those of last week.
Small-sized hilsa was trading at Tk 650-700 a kilogramme (kg) on Friday, while medium-sized at Tk 800-1,050 a kg, and bigger-sized (above 0.9 kg) hilsa was selling at Tk 1,050-1,850 a kg.
The state-run Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) data showed a 41 per cent surge in hilsa prices just in three days, and 60 per cent hike in two weeks.
Traders, however, predicted that the hilsa prices might decline from today (Saturday) amid the three-day holiday (from Friday to Sunday), which could lower its demand.
The hilsa fishing ban in 432 km area under six districts will remain effective until April 30, according to the Department of Fisheries (DoF).
Besides, the ongoing drive against 'jatka' (hilsa fry less than nine inches long) collection will also go on.
Apart from the national fish, the prices of other indigenous fishes, including riverine rui, katla, shrimp (golda, bagda), pabda, tengra and dry fishes, also witnessed a hike by Tk 100-250 a kg in last one and a half week, said Mursalin Hoque, a trader at Rayer Bazar in the city.
He said the prices increased amid the ban on fishing of hilsa and non-hilsa in the sanctuaries.
Meanwhile, prices of beef and broiler chicken, witnessed a Tk 10-20 hike per kg on Friday than their previous prices.
Beef was sold at Tk 550-560 a kg and broiler at Tk 165-170 a kg on the day.
Visiting some kitchen markets, the FE correspondent found that prices of 17 kinds of vegetables, including bean, brinjal, bitter gourd, colocasia stem, ridge gourd, long bean, ash gourd, carrot, papaya, snake gourd, lemon, cucumber, green banana, bottle gourd, pointed gourd and moringa etc, increased by Tk 5-20 a kg in last seven days, which started declining from the first week of this month.
Md Farid, assistant of a vegetable vendor-cum-grocer at West Dhanmondi, told the FE that the prices of many vegetables increased following their rising demand ahead of the 'Pohela Boishakh'.
Prices of vegetables might decline after the festival, he opined.
Vice president of Bangladesh Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) S M Nazir Hossain told the FE that business syndicates always look for opportunities, like festivals, to raise prices and make some hefty profits by cashing in on the growing demand.
Market monitoring by the authorities concerned is totally absent here, which encourages them further.
The commoners have become the victims of such unethical trading practices, he added.
