Prices of 15 essential commodities in Bangladesh rose by an average of 4.39% in October, with fish, spices and fuel oil recording the steepest increases, according to a market survey by the Consumers Forum (CF).
The survey showed that fish prices surged 11.72% during the month, while prices of spices, including cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and cumin, increased by 10.30%. Onion, garlic and ginger became 7.79% more expensive, adding to the pressure on household budgets.
The latest increase followed a 3.13% rise in essential commodity prices in September. Together, the two months saw a reported cumulative increase of 7.52%, pointing to continued pressure on consumers’ purchasing power.
The findings were disclosed in a press statement issued by CF General Secretary Emdad Hossain Malek on Sunday, based on market data collected in September and October.
Among other commodities, fuel oil prices increased by 6.02% in October, followed by sugar at 4.93% and edible oil and dalda at 4.80%.
Rice prices rose by an average of 2.62%, while flour and wheat flour increased by 3.25%. Egg prices went up 1.42%, meat prices rose 0.38% and tea prices edged up 0.14%.
In contrast, vegetable prices declined by 3.12%, while gold and silver prices fell by 4.77%. Prices of seven other product categories remained unchanged, including salt, dairy products, toothbrushes and toothpaste, chanachur and biscuits, 11 commonly used medicine brands, and notebooks and pens.
Despite the decline in vegetable prices, farmers in Bogura and Rangpur said they were struggling to recover production costs as winter vegetables began arriving in local markets.
The survey highlighted a substantial gap between farmgate and retail prices. In Bogura and Rangpur, cauliflower and cabbage were selling for Tk6-12 each, radishes for Tk6-8, bottle gourds for Tk8-10 and bananas for Tk5-8 per four-piece bunch.
In Dhaka, the same products were selling at considerably higher prices, with cauliflower and cabbage fetching around Tk50 each, radishes and papayas Tk30 each, bottle gourds Tk60 and green bananas Tk40-50 per four-piece bunch.
The price differences highlight concerns over the distribution chain and the margins between producers and consumers, although the survey did not provide a breakdown of transportation, handling and intermediary costs.
The Consumers Forum said rising commodity prices were adding to the cost-of-living burden, particularly for lower- and middle-income households. It argued that increasing wages alone would not be enough to ease the pressure unless other essential expenses, including house and shop rents, education and healthcare costs, were also kept affordable.
The organisation called for stronger market monitoring and legal action against excessive profiteering to keep essential goods within consumers’ purchasing capacity.
The survey was based on field-level price information collected from Karwan Bazar, Rampura, Meradia, Bhuiyan Bazar in Aftabnagar, Meena Bazar and Shwapno supermarkets in Dhaka, as well as market information from Jashore, Bogura and Rangpur.