The markets of daily essentials in the capital witnessed an instability marking the general holiday declared around the 13th National Parliamentary Election and referendum.
Limited movement of goods-carrying vehicles and partial closure of wholesale markets have reduced supply. This has directly impacted the prices of chicken, onions, and various vegetables.
Right after the election, the price of broiler and Sonali chicken increased by Tk 10 to Tk 20 per kilogram. Broiler chicken is now selling for Tk 170–210 per kg, while Sonali chicken costs Tk 310–340 per kg. Sellers say prices cannot be reduced due to insufficient supply from farms.
There is no relief in the onion market either. Old local onions are selling for Tk 110–130 per kg. However, newly harvested onions are available at Tk 50–60 per kg depending on quality. In some places, prices have increased by around Tk 10 per kg.
A visit to vegetable markets shows that compared to before the vote, nearly every vegetable costs Tk 10–20 more per kg. Cucumbers are selling for Tk 80–100, tomatoes Tk 50–60, and green chilies Tk 160–200. Beans, radish, and papaya are priced at Tk 40–60, while eggplant sells for Tk 70–80. Hybrid bitter gourd and peas have risen to Tk 160–200.
Traders say strict transport restrictions on and around election day made it difficult to move goods from wholesale to retail markets. Limited transportation has increased freight costs by one-and-a-half to double, directly affecting the prices of fresh produce. Markets, including Karwan Bazar, saw far fewer goods vehicles than usual.
Meanwhile, customer turnout has also declined. Due to lower sales, many shopkeepers and street vendors did not bring vegetables, and some shops remained closed. Enamul, a vendor at Boubazar, said both supply and customers are low, so prices, though slightly higher, remain somewhat controlled. If customers were present as usual, prices would have increased further.
Another vendor, Yasin from Segunbagicha, said he could not bring cucumbers, peas, cauliflower, or cabbage because imports to Karwan Bazar were low.
According to traders, most vegetables cannot be stored for more than one or two days. If transportation returns to normal, supply will increase and prices will fall. They hope the market will begin to stabilize once banks and commercial activities fully resume from February 15.
However, prices of grocery items such as oil, sugar, and eggs remain mostly unchanged. Eggs are stable at Tk 110–115 per dozen.