Consumer inflation is a worldwide phenomenon. But when prices of essential commodities rise during an economic downturn, the uptrend tends to erode the purchasing power of ordinary people. Take for instance, the situation in Kushtia, where residents are forced to contend with a sudden spike in prices of essential items like sugar, flour, edible oil and pulses, against the backdrop of the Covid-induced recession. Read Prices of daily essentials soar in kitchen markets Many residents claim that the price rise has derailed their household budget -- this is because groceries make up the lion's share of their monthly shopping basket. They blame the government for its failure to rein in the rates amid the second wave of the pandemic. A recent reality check by UNB at Kushtia Municipality Bazar and Boro Bazar revealed that traders have been selling soybean oil for Tk 136 a kg, a five percent hike over a week.  Also read: Spectre of panic buying returns to kitchen markets ahead of lockdown