Prices of daily essentials are on the rise in Khulna kitchen markets, and many blame the lack of monitoring from local administration.

Already the prices of rice, edible oil, sugar, potato, onion and garlic and other essentials have increased, causing untold suffering for the low- and middle-income people.

Besides, due to lack of monitoring some unscrupulous traders are being encouraged to raise prices arbitrarily.

During a recent visit to the local markets in Khulna, this correspondent found green chilies being sold at Tk 100 per kg while it was Tk 60 per kg two weeks ago. One kg bitter gourd was being sold at Tk 80 while it was Tk 70 before, okra at Tk 40-45 per kg, pumpkin at Tk 30 per kg, potato at Tk 30-40 per kg, onion (local variety) at Tk 50-55 per kg while Indian variety at Tk 45 per kg, garlic (local variety) at Tk 140-170 per kg and Chinese variety at Tk 180 per kg, eggplant at Tk 40-50 per kg, green papaya at Tk 30 per kg, and green banana Tk 40 per four pieces.

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Besides, one kg rice (basmati) is being sold at Tk 80, Miniket rice at Tk 65-70, Balam-28 rice at Tk 58-60 per kg while it was Tk 50-55 two weeks ago, and Swarna rice at Tk 48-50 while it was Tk 45-46 before.

Meanwhile, one litre of bottled edible oil is being sold at Tk 199 as the government has recently increased the price of edible oil by Tk 12 per litre.

Besides, the price of sugar has also increased in the local market though traders blamed the international market for the soaring price of sugar. One kg sugar is being sold at Tk 140.

Earlier, in April, the Commerce Ministry fixed the maximum retail price of loose sugar at Tk 104 instead of Tk 107 and packaged sugar at Tk 109 per kg from Tk 112.

Shafiqul Islam, a trader of KCC Sandhya Bazar said the prices of vegetables are also in a rising trend due to the low supply against the demand.