A large crowd of shoppers thronged Cox’s Bazar’s Boro Bazar on Friday, the weekly holiday, as people from different walks of life rushed to buy daily necessities.
A visit to the market showed some relief in vegetable prices thanks to abundant winter supply, but rice, other essential commodities, and both marine and farmed fish were selling at higher rates, putting pressure on household budgets.
Vendor Abdullah said the increased supply of winter seasonal vegetables had slightly reduced prices for many items. Cauliflower, cabbage, bottle gourd, beans, and spinach were currently being sold at relatively affordable rates.
However, he added that higher transport costs and rising wholesale prices were pushing up prices for rice and other essentials.
A customer named Hafim expressed mixed feelings, saying that lower vegetable prices were a relief, but higher prices for rice and fish were making monthly grocery shopping difficult. ‘Expenses keep rising compared with our income,’ he said.
Another shopper said that the amount she previously spent on a full basket of groceries now barely covers half the items, with fish prices particularly high.
Fish trader Halim attributed the price hike of marine fish to rough sea conditions and rising fuel costs for fishing boats. Prices of farmed fish had also gone up due to higher feed and transport expenses, he said.
Despite the festive holiday bustle in the market, higher prices for key essentials have left many buyers dissatisfied, prompting calls for closer market monitoring and effective price control measures.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo: Mohammad Morshed
