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Prices of many essential commodities, including beef, chickens, lemon, cucumber, dates, green chilli, brinjal, and chickpeas, have risen ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the moon sighting.
Beef prices started climbing during Shab-e-Barat on the night of February 3.
On Monday, beef was being sold at Tk 800-830 per kg, marking a Tk 50 increase within a week.
Broiler chicken prices rose by Tk 20 per kg over the past week, selling at Tk 200-220 per kg.
Pakistani and Sonali chicken prices increased by Tk 50 per kg, reaching Tk 320-350, according to poultry bird sellers.
Chickpeas were sold at Tk 95-120 per kg depending on quality, up from Tk 90-110 earlier.
Brinjal prices have increased by Tk 20 per kg, reaching Tk 80-100 per kg.
Date prices rose by Tk 50-250 per kg, depending on quality, with dates being among the most important food items during Ramadan.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, demand for dates during the fasting month ranges between 60,000 and 80,000 tonnes.
Market availability currently exceeds 0.1 million tonnes, half of which was imported over the past three months.
Lower-priced dates, mostly purchased by low-income consumers, now sell for Tk 220-250 per kg.
Zahidi dates are priced at Tk 280-300 per kg, while Dabhas dates sell at Tk 600-620 per kg, up by Tk 50-80 per kg.
Premium varieties such as Sukkari, Mariam, Mabroom, and Medjools are priced at Tk 850-1,800 per kg, marking increases of Tk 100-250 per kg in the last week and a half.
Lemon prices in Dhaka's retail markets have jumped sharply ahead of Ramadan, nearly quadrupling in two weeks as demand rises.
A set of four lemons, which sold for Tk 50-60 a week ago, is now priced between Tk 90 and 100.
Vendor Kamal Uddin at Adabor Bazar attributed the price hike to lower winter production and a tenfold rise in demand.
He predicted prices would remain firm through the first half of Ramadan, driven by strong seasonal demand and speculative stockpiling.
SM Nazer Hossain, vice-president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), criticised weak market oversight.
"The government's focus on the ongoing election process has resulted in poor monitoring of commodity markets," he said.
He added that chickpea imports rose to 0.3 million tonnes in 2025 from 0.19 million tonnes in 2024, and despite reduced import duties on dates, consumers see little benefit.
He stressed that strict market monitoring is urgently needed.
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