The city's kitchen market on Thursday felt the heat of the imprisonment of BNP chairperson, affecting supply.
A special court sentenced Khaleda Zia to five years in jail convicted of embezzling money from a charity, known as Zia Orphanage Trust.
As the news of her imprisonment spread, prices of vegetables and fish rose significantly, according to traders.
They also predicted that prices may go up further if the current political volatility persists.
The law-enforcement agencies beefed up security a day before the verdict by the special court.
Transport shortage, caused by the security measures, pushed up vegetables prices by Tk 5 -Tk 10 a kg while fish prices witnessed a Tk 50-150 spike on the kitchen markets.
Brinjal, cauliflower, cabbage, long-bean, local bean, pumpkin, tomato, carrot, radish, bitter gourd, bottle-gourd witnessed the hike at a kg or piece.
Brinjal sold at Tk 50-Tk 80 based on varieties, cabbage, cauliflower at Tk 30-Tk 45 per piece, bottle-gourd at Tk 50-Tk 80 per piece, pumpkin at Tk 35-Tk 40 a kg, tomato at Tk 50-Tk 60 a kg and bitter-gourd at Tk 70-Tk 90 a kg on the day.
Leafy prices showed a Tk 2-Tk 5 hike at per bunch and sold at Tk 10 (red amaranth)-Tk 40 (bottle gourd leafy) depending on species.
Md Hafizur Rahman, a vendor at Lalmatia, Mohammadpur in the city, told the FE that prices witnessed a sharp rise in the morning at Karwan Bazar wholesale.
He said bitter-gourd prices increased by Tk 45-Tk 50 per palla (five kgs) as sold at Tk 275-Tk 290.
Imran Ali Master, a Karwan Bazar-based trader, told the FE that prices witnessed a hike amid short supply.
He said the number of trucks carrying vegetables was only 50 in the morning against roughly 200 in normal days.
He said owners were not interested to let their vehicles ply on highways fearing unrest over the verdict.
He said prices of vegetables and other essentials might go up further if the condition persisted for a few more days.
Prices of most fish varieties also increased on the day for having limited transport both on the highways and waterways, said traders.
Prices of indigenous fish showed the highest hike.
Tengra, shoul, pabda, riverine rui, katla, kalabaish, kajoli, batashi and hilsa witnessed a Tk 50-Tk 150 hike at per kg or piece.
Md Jahurul Hoque, a road-side fish vendor at Dhanmondi-15 in the city, told the FE that prices showed a significant hike at Jatrabari, Shawari Ghat and Karwan Bazar wholesales.
Traders couldn't go to the biggest market Mawa on the day amid shortage of vehicles early in the morning, he said.
Md Golam Martuza Montu, president of the Bangladesh Fish Traders Association, told the FE that all modes of water transport remained almost shut since Wednesday evening, which created supply shortage of fish in the city.
He said most of the traders sold fish from their earlier stocks.
Prices of fish may further rise today (Friday) unless transportation gets normal, he said.
