For the past four months, vegetable prices in Dhaka’s markets have remained unusually high. Shoppers complain that sellers are using excuses such as crop damage from rain or the end of the growing season to justify the inflated prices. Currently, except for papaya, most vegetables are selling between Tk 80 and Tk 100 per kilogram.
During market visits across Shantinagar, Malibagh, and Moghbazar on Friday (October 10), it was found that round eggplants were selling for Tk 160 per kg, long eggplants for Tk 100, tomatoes for Tk 130, bitter gourd and yardlong beans for Tk 100, and okra, cucumber, radish, sponge gourd, and snake gourd for Tk 80 per kg. Pointed gourd and ridge gourd were priced at Tk 70 per kg, carrots at Tk 130, green chilies at Tk 200, and bottle gourd at Tk 70 each.
Buyers allege that vegetable prices have been unreasonably high for months. Private service holder Moyazzem Hossain said, “I used to buy a kilogram of vegetables before; now I can only afford half a kilo for the same amount of money. Ordinary people can’t manage groceries at such high prices.”
Another buyer from Malibagh, Shahidul Islam, said, “Sellers keep saying it’s not the season, so prices are high. But after four months, when does the season actually begin and end?”
Meanwhile, Moghbazar vegetable trader Ershad Ali claimed that recent rains damaged crops, reducing supply and pushing prices higher. “Once the new crops hit the market, prices will come down,” he said.
Despite the persistent price hike, there has been little visible effort from the authorities to monitor or control the market, leaving consumers frustrated and burdened.