With the holy festival of Eid-ul-Fitr approaching, kitchen markets across the capital have witnessed a sharp spike in the prices of essential commodities, particularly spices, meat, and fish.

Visiting various kitchen markets on Friday (March 20) revealed a trend of rising costs for festive essentials, though vegetable prices have notably remained stable or even decreased as traders prepare to leave for their village homes.

The most significant volatility was observed in the market for spices, where prices have jumped by Tk 50 to Tk 200 per kg within a few days. Cardamom (Elachi) has seen the steepest hike, now retailing at nearly Tk 5,000 per kg—an increase of Tk 220–250 from just last week.

Other spice prices have also climbed. Cinnamon is selling for Tk 580–600, mace (Jaitri) at Tk 4,000, and nutmeg (Jaiphal) at Tk 1,500 per kg. Cloves are priced between Tk 1,800 and Tk 2,000, while cumin (Jeera) ranges from Tk 700 to Tk 800 per kg. Dry fruits followed suit, with cashews reaching up to Tk 1,800 and pistachios hitting Tk 4,000 per kg.

Driven by high festival demand, the price of beef has risen by approximately Tk 80 per kg, now retailing at Tk 850 per kg. Mutton is being sold at Tk 1,350 to Tk 1,400 per kg, marking a jump of over Tk 100.

In the poultry stable, broiler chicken is priced at Tk 210–220 per kg, while Sonali chicken is selling for Tk 350–360. However, egg prices have seen a slight decline. The fish market remains expensive, with Ruhi selling for Tk 350–400 and Pabda at Tk 450–500 per kg. Large prawns (Golda Chingri) are retailing for as much as Tk 1,200 per kg.

Supply shortages of bottled soybean oil have pushed the price of loose oil to Tk 215–220 per litre. Sugar prices also remain high, with local varieties selling at Tk 140 per kg and imported sugar at Tk 100–105. Fragrant rice (Chinigura), another Eid staple, has seen a Tk 20–30 per kg increase, now selling between Tk 140 and Tk 175 depending on the brand.

In contrast to the soaring prices of meat and spices, vegetable prices provided some relief. Many vendors were seen selling off their stock at lower rates to head home for the holidays.

"I am leaving for my village tonight," said Kamrul, a retailer in the Karwan Bazar kitchen market. "I have a lot of stock left, so I am selling them at a lower price to clear the inventory," he said.

Onions are currently selling for Tk 30–40, potatoes for Tk 18–20, and tomatoes for Tk 30–40 per kg. However, green chillies (Tk 80–100) and lemons Tk 60–80 per Hali ( 4 pieces) remain relatively expensive. Vermicelli (Semai) prices have remained stable, with 200g packets retailing at Tk 40–45.