Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Prices of almost all essential items increased in the city’s kitchen market on Friday before the day of the holy month of Ramadan that starts from Saturday.
Essential commodities mostly consumed in the fasting month including cooking oil, chickpeas, sugar and potato and also vegetables especially brinjal further increased in the local markets with the lower and fixed-income groups struggling to meet their basic requirements. 
Prices of bottled edible oil of different brands, namely Rupchanda, Teer and Fresh, now hover between BDT 135 and BDT 138 up by BDT 3.0 a litter and two and five litre containers were selling at BDT 266-270 and BDT 665 -670 respectively.
Loose soybean oil also hovered at 125-126 per litre which was BDT 123-124 in the previous week. Price of palm oil hovered at BDT 97-98 per litre.
Price of loose soybean oil container jacked up by 3.78 percent in a month, according to the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB),
Sugar price, which, however, remained stable during last month, now is selling with a hike by BDT 2-3 and ranged from BDT 55 to BDT 56 last week.
Local garlic was retailing at BDT 50-70 per kg while the imported variety ranged from BDT 90 to BDT 100.
TCB data said imported garlic price increased by 11.76 percent over the last month.
Ginger continued to be pricey and ranged from BDT 60 to BDT 75 per kg.
Prices of all kinds of red lentil were up during last few days. Local variety is being sold at BDT 105-110 per kg, Nepalese variety at BDT 110-112 per kg. Mung dal ranged from BDT 110 to BDT 120 per kg.
Potato price also marked a rise by 8.70 percent in a month and ranged from BDT 24 to BDT 28 per kg.
Egg prices ranged from BDT 36 to BDT 38 for every four pieces.
However rice and flour prices also remained steady.
The prices of broiler chicken hovered between BDT 165 and BDT 170 on Friday while beef was selling at BDT 280-285per kg marking a hike by BDT 5 in a week and mutton at BDT 400-450 per kg.
Fish prices also remained stubbornly high. A pair of medium-sized hilsha was selling at BDT 1200-1800, ruhi at BDT 250-300 per kg, ‘katla’ at BDT 230-260 per kg, ‘tengra’ at BDT 350-450 per kg, ‘poa’ and ‘magur’ at BDT 600 per kg, ‘pangas’ at BDT 120-130 per kg, ’tilapia’ at BDT 130-150 per kg and shrimp at BDT 300-650 per kg.
Prices of different vegetables witnessed a fresh hike by BDT 5.0-30 per kg. Tomato was selling at BDT 100-120, brinjal at BDT 50-600 per kg, bitter gourd at BDT 40-45, cucumber at BDT 35-40 and green chili at BDT 80 per kg.
 
BBN/SSR/AD-21July12-10:20am (BST)