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Published : 14 Jun 2026, 12:08 AM
Prices of broiler chicken, eggs, lentils and several vegetables have risen over the past week, with consumers saying they continue to pay elevated prices for essential goods despite budget measures aimed at easing living costs.
Traders, however, say prices depend largely on supply conditions and insist the proposed budget has not yet had any impact on the market.
The observations came from visits to several markets in Dhaka on Saturday, two days after Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presented the proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year in parliament.
The budget will take effect on Jul 1.
To provide relief to consumers, the government has proposed reducing advance income tax on 60 essential and agricultural products, including rice, lentils, edible oil and onions, to 0.5 percent.
The budget also proposes bringing three raw materials used in poultry, dairy and fish feed production under a zero-duty concession and waiving import duties on machinery and spare parts for the poultry and dairy sectors.
Many consumers had hoped the measures would quickly influence market prices.
At Palashi Kitchen Market, bank officer Jesmin Akter said she had seen no change in prices.
A resident of Lalbagh, she regularly shops at the market and was purchasing chicken from Ma-Babar Doa Chicken House on Saturday.
“We read in newspapers that prices of this or that item are being reduced in the budget. But where is the reduction?” she told bdnews24.com.
“The shrimp I used to buy for Tk 600 per kilogram now costs Tk 900 to Tk 1,000, and chicken is Tk 400. Grocery items, spices and everything else were already expensive. What has become cheaper?”
Imported lentils were selling at Tk 115-120 per kg on Saturday, up from Tk 100 a week earlier. Soybean oil remained unchanged at Tk 200 per litre.
Rice prices, which had already risen over the past month, remained elevated.
Faizam rice was selling at Tk 65 per kg, atop rice at Tk 52-55 and fine rice at Tk 75.
Onions were selling at Tk 40 per kg.
At Mohammadpur Kitchen Market, shopper Abul Kashem, 55, said the cost of essentials remained burdensome.
“Cooking oil is expensive. Rice was already expensive. Red lentils that were Tk 140 are now Tk 160. The lentils that cost Tk 100 were Tk 120 when I bought them yesterday,” he said.
Grocer Abul Bashar blamed rice millers rather than government policy for the high prices.
“The government cannot reduce rice prices. Only the millers can. Since Indian letters of credit stopped, millers got an opportunity and increased prices by Tk 7 to Tk 8 per kg,” he said.
He suggested opening up rice imports to help stabilise the market.
Broiler chicken prices have also increased again. The variety was selling at Tk 190-200 per kg on Saturday, compared with Tk 165 a week earlier.
Sonali chicken remained at Tk 380-400 per kg, while layer chicken was selling at Tk 400 per kg.
Red eggs were selling at Tk 45 per four and white eggs at Tk 42 per four.
Beef was selling at Tk 800 per kg.
Md Khaleq, owner of Khaleq Traders at Palashi Market, said supply remained the determining factor.
“If products are available, prices fall; if not, they rise. It’s a simple equation,” he said.
“Prices have generally been easing since Eid. Broiler chicken is now below Tk 200. It dropped briefly for a week, but egg prices have risen. If supplies increase, prices will come down.”
Among vegetables, green chilli prices rose by Tk 40 over the week to Tk 120 per kg.
Round aubergines were selling at Tk 90 per kg and long aubergines at Tk 80, double the Tk 40 price recorded a week earlier. Tomatoes rose by Tk 20 to Tk 100-120 per kg.
Potatoes increased by Tk 5 to Tk 35 per kg, while pointed gourd and okra rose by Tk 20 to Tk 50.
Ridge gourd remained at Tk 60 per kg and snake gourd at Tk 80.
Green papaya was selling at Tk 50 per kilogram after previously costing as little as Tk 30, although prices had climbed to Tk 80 before Eid.
Pumpkins were selling at Tk 40 per kg.
Shopper Mohammad Shihab said price increases had become a regular occurrence.
“Since last year, I have been doing the household shopping myself. Every week, the price of something goes up,” he said.
Asked about government efforts to reduce prices, he replied: “We are already paying high prices for everything.”
“Walk around the market. Can you find any vegetable for less than Tk 80 or Tk 90? People did not even cook papaya before, but now it costs Tk 50 per kg. What difference does it make if one item becomes cheaper while another goes up?”
Vegetable trader Sadeq Hossain at Hatirpool Market said prices were relatively stable compared with previous months.
“Vegetable prices are comparatively lower. We are getting sufficient supplies from wholesale markets. But there has been no noticeable change in prices since the budget announcement,” he said.
