Beef prices jump to Tk 800 on Shab-e-Barat

Consumers in Dhaka are having to cough up more than usual for meat thanks to the combined the combined “impact” of the weekly holiday and Shab-e-Barat.

Sellers and buyers at Mohakhali and Niketan kitchen markets said beef, which had remained around Tk 750 per kg last week, was selling for Tk 780–800 per kg on Friday.

Broiler chicken, which cost Tk 180–190 per kg last week, was priced at Tk 200–210 per kg.

Goat meat, which had remained stable for an extended period, also saw an increase due to Shab-e-Barat demand.

Last week, it was Tk 1,100 per kg, but on Friday, prices ranged from Tk 1,150 to Tk 1,200 per kg.

Md Sojib, a rickshaw-puller who came to buy beef from the Niketan market, said: "We can’t afford to buy meat daily. When we try once in a while, we see prices have gone up. I thought of buying some on Shab-e-Barat, but it’s more expensive today.

"For months, beef was Tk 750 per kg. Now suddenly, they’re asking Tk 800. The moment people want to buy a little extra, shopkeepers raise prices," he added.

When asked about the price hike, seller Nuruzzaman said: “Prices always rise slightly before Eid or Shab-e-Barat. When demand increases, prices go up. This is nothing new.”

Regarding the increase in chicken prices, Sohel, a worker at Rajib Mukta Poultry Shop in Niketan, who gave a single name, said: “Chicken prices go up and down every few days. This is just another fluctuation.”

When asked if prices were raised specifically for Shab-e-Barat, he said: “Not because of that. We just had to buy at higher prices.”

At Mohakhali market, poultry seller Nur Hossain said: “Chicken was selling for Tk 180–190. [On Thursday], I bought stock at a higher price.”