Prices of essentials including most vegetables in the city markets remain high since late February, due to supply shortage and sudden rainfall along with hailstone in last month.
The traders said supply chain gap due to season fluctuation from winter to summer also hit the prices.
They said prices will go down by early next month with the arrival of new supply.
Visiting some city kitchen markets on Friday the FE correspondent found late winter vegetables were selling at Tk 40-70 a kg/piece.
Radish and tomato were selling at Tk 40-50, bean at Tk 50-70, brinjal Tk 40-55 a kg in different markets.
The price of tomatoes per kg was Tk 15 to Tk20 a week ago. However, the prices of cucumbers and carrots have remained unchanged at Tk50 and Tk25 respectively.
All kinds of leafy vegetables were selling at Tk 10-30 a bunch.
However, all kind s of lemon have been selling Tk 20 to Tk 30 higher prices since early March due to low supply. One dozen of lemon prices now ranged from Tk30 Tk80 in the retail markets.
Meanwhile, prices of summer varieties like bitter gourd, snake gourd, long bean, pointed gourds and clocasia stem, which usually decline from the second week of March, increased further. Those were selling at Tk 80-110 a kg, showing 30 per cent surge.
The early arrival of Okra in the kitchen market is still expensive, ranging from Tk80 to Tk 90.
Nazmuddin, a trader in Naya Bazar kitchen market said they sold Okra at higher prices. The price will go down soon.
The price of a broiler chicken has not gone down in last three weeks at Dhaka's kitchen markets which had increased by Tk 20 Tk30 per kilogram-from Tk140/150 to Tk 170 per kilogram-due to a supply shortage.
Layer, Deshi and Sonali varieties of chicken are also being sold at increasing prices of Tk230, Tk320 and Tk550 at different kitchen markets in city on Friday.
Beef price also on the rise.
Traders are selling per kg beef at Tk 500 to Tk520 at different kitchen markets.
They said cow supply is low as cattle growers are not selling cattle now for the bigger profit in Eid-ul-Azha, which is actually six months away.
Traders also attributed price hike of protein to various festivals and celebrations in the previous weeks, and to a huge demand from restaurants and fast food chains in the capital.
The low productivity rate of chicken in this season is another reason of low supply, Abdul Kader in Hatirpool Bazaar told FE.
He also said that demand for both fish and chicken are high due to the "picnic season".
"One week ago fish prices were less by Tk30-40. The price of chicken meat has increased and the ban imposed on fishing resulted in the price hikes. After three months prices will decrease," fish trader Khokon at Hatirpool Bazar said.
Fish seller Zahir at Karwan Bazar said Rui fish is selling at Tk250 per kg, Tilapia at Tk170 per kg, Pangas fish at Tk107, Catfish at Tk120-140, Tiger shrimp at Tk450-500, and Brown shrimps at Tk380.
Egg seller Harun at Hatirpool Kitchenmarket said 100 eggs cost Tk850, and a dozen is selling for Tk105, which was Tk 100 a week earlier.
"There is a huge demand for eggs, but supply is low as the hot weather causes eggs to rot fast," he added.
Humayun Kabir, a customer at Karwan Bazar kitchen market, said that prices of all products have been high since last week.
"The price hike has created problems for middle class families. We have no extra income, so it is very difficult to buy poultry or fish," he added.
Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan said price hike of chicken will hit the protein intake of common people.
He also said as can not prevent natural calamity for which the prices of essentials may rise but we should increase vigilance in the market.
bdsmile@gmail.com