With Eid-ul Fitr only seven days away, prices of meat and spices have increased further in the city markets, adding to the consumers' woes.
Prices of beef, chicken, garlic, ginger, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seed and some vegetables witnessed a 10-15 per cent hike in last seven days.
But retailers and wholesalers blamed each other for price hikes.
Experts said lack of proper market monitoring was resulting in a surge in the prices despite having an ample supply.
The price of beef went up to Tk 500-Tk 530 while that of buffalo meat to Tk 460-Tk 480, khasi to Tk 780-Tk 800 and local chicken to Tk 450-Tk 460 per kilogram in last seven days, up by 10 per cent in a week.
Prices of broiler chicken rose to Tk 150-Tk 155 a kg from Tk 140-Tk 145 earlier.
Md Shafiur Rahman, a chicken meat trader at Rayer Bazar in the city, told the FE that the demand for meat increased as a good number of people, who celebrate Eid in Dhaka city, were storing it up.
He said meat prices would drop within few days.
Prices of cumin seed soared to Tk 400-Tk 500 a kg from Tk 350-Tk 450.
Cardamom was sold at Tk 1,750-Tk 1,800 a kg on Friday from Tk 1,450-1,500 a kg a week back.
Prices of vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, sponge gourd, and ridge gourd also increased by Tk 10-15 a kg.
Jewel Rana, a grocer at Shankar in West Dhanmondi, told the FE that wholesalers at Karwan Bazar and Moulvibazar were increasing the prices of 'garam masala' (spices like cardamom and cloves).
He said quality cumin seed was sold at Tk 450 a kg from Tk 390-Tk 400 earlier.
Secretary of Moulvibazar Wholesale Merchants Association Md Golam Moula told the FE that prices of spices have not gone up during the holy month of Ramadan this year due to a good supply of these items.
"Price fluctuation is normal that happened here in last one month." Prices of spices were fluctuating between Tk 5 and Tk 7 a kg, he added.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said lack of market monitoring was encouraging price manipulation.
"In the absence of any effective monitoring system and vigilance, unscrupulous traders have increased the prices of essential food items," he claimed.
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