Soaring Prices of Essentials: Low-Income Families Struggling to Survive

The relentless surge in the prices of daily essentials has left ordinary people, particularly low-income families, grappling to make ends meet. With no respite in sight, stagnant incomes and skyrocketing costs have turned survival into a daily battle for many households.

Data reveals that over the past two months, retail prices of local onions, lentils, chicken eggs, Sonali chickens, fish, and several vegetables have surged by up to 87 percent. This unchecked price spiral has left consumers helpless, with retailers and wholesalers offering conflicting explanations, while the voices of buyers go unheard.

Market insiders attribute the price hikes to trader syndicates, inadequate market monitoring, supply chain weaknesses, and an imbalance between income and expenditure. These factors have severely limited the purchasing power of ordinary citizens. Experts warn that without strengthened supply management and market control, the rising costs will continue to crush the livelihoods of low-income groups. A price review from retail markets in the capital and the government’s Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) on July 3 and September 4 highlights the steep increases: - **Local onions**: Up by 33-36%, now Tk 75–80 per kg. - **Farm eggs**: Up by 17%, now Tk 140–145 per dozen. - **Sonali chicken**: Up by 7%, now Tk 300–320 per kg. - **Local lentils**: Up by 14%, now Tk 160 per kg. - **Rui fish (medium-sized)**: Up by 12-14%, now Tk 400–450 per kg. - **Eggplant**: Up by 33-60%, now Tk 100–160 per kg (previously hit Tk 200). - **Tomatoes (mostly imported from India)**: Up by 60-87%, now Tk 150–160 per kg. - **Bitter gourd**: Up by 29-33%, now Tk 100–120 per kg. - **Yardlong beans**: Up by 43-50%, now Tk 100–120 per kg. Most other vegetables are priced above Tk 80 per kg, with papaya (Tk 35–40) and potatoes (Tk 25–30) being the cheapest options. At Mohakhali kitchen market, buyer Helal Uddin lamented, “The government’s lack of market monitoring fuels this chaos. Nothing is affordable anymore. Sellers raise prices with excuses, and balancing income with expenses is impossible. I can’t even afford my favorite fish anymore—small shrimp costs Tk 800–900 per kg!” At Joar Sahara market, vegetable seller Md Rabiul Islam noted, “High prices have reduced vegetable sales. Continuous rainfall has damaged farmers’ fields, cutting supply and driving prices higher.” Traders also point to shortages of eggs, chicken, and fish as contributing factors. Md Khalilur Rahman Sajal, Executive Director of Voluntary Consumers Training and Awareness Society (VOCTA), said, “Consumers are helpless. No vegetable, except papaya, is below Tk 80. Eggplant, a household staple, now costs Tk 160–200. The lack of market intervention allows this crisis to persist. Regulatory agencies have failed to act despite repeated demands.” He added, “Unscrupulous ‘value addition’ at various supply chain stages inflates prices. For instance, eggplants bought for Tk 60–65 in Narsingdi are sold for Tk 150–180 in Dhaka. Even rice prices have risen during harvest season, reflecting a failure of government oversight.” Market reviews reveal an active syndicate manipulating the supply chain, buying goods cheaply from rural areas and selling them at exorbitant rates in urban markets. While farmers struggle to break even, middlemen reap massive profits. Consumers demand action to dismantle these syndicates, but authorities have yet to respond effectively.