Prices of essential commodities across the country increased by an average of 4.39 percent in October, driven largely by a sharp hike in fish and spice prices, according to findings by the Consumers Forum (CF).
Data compiled by the organization across various markets in Dhaka—including Karwan Bazar, Rampura, Meradia, Aftabnagar's Bhuiyan Bazar, Meena Bazar, and Shwapno super shops—showed that prices of 15 key categories of goods rose during the month.
Fish prices recorded the highest surge, jumping by an average of 11.72 percent.
Prices of spices, including cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin, rose by 10.30 percent, while onions, garlic, and ginger saw a 7.79 percent increase.
Other notable price hikes included fuel oil (6.02 percent), sugar (4.93 percent), edible oil and dalda (4.80 percent), flour and maida (3.25 percent), rice (2.62 percent), eggs (1.42 percent), meat (0.38 percent), and tea (0.14 percent).
Conversely, prices of seven essential items including salt, dairy products, toothpaste, biscuits, 11 major brands of medicines, and stationery items—remained stable.
Meanwhile, prices dropped for two categories: vegetables fell by 3.12 percent and gold and silver by 4.77 percent.
Field reports from different parts of the vegetable supply hub including Jashore, Bogura, and Rangpur indicated that winter vegetables have begun arriving in local wholesale markets, though producers are struggling to recover their production costs.
While cauliflower and cabbage sold for Tk 6–12, radishes for Tk 6–8, gourds for Tk 8–10, and plantains for Tk 5–8 per hali locally in regions like Bogura and Rangpur, they were retailed at much higher prices in Dhaka, with cauliflowers and cabbages fetching around Tk 50, papayas and radishes Tk 30, gourds Tk 60, and plantains Tk 40–50 per hali.
According to the Consumers Forum, essential commodity prices had already risen by 3.13 percent in September, bringing the cumulative two-month increase to 7.52 percent.
In a press release issued Sunday by CF General Secretary Emdad Hossain Malek, the organisation emphasized that merely raising wages is insufficient.
It called on authorities to keep essential living expenses—including urban house and shop rents, education, and healthcare—within the purchasing power of middle and lower-middle-income groups.
The forum urged strict administrative and legal actions to curb excessive profit-seeking by unscrupulous traders and safeguard public welfare.