Muhammad Tareq – Persistent downpours and burgeoning floodwaters across Bangladesh have severely disrupted supply chains, sending the prices of essential commodities soaring in Dhaka’s retail markets.
Over the last few days, torrential rains have caused gridlocks and transport delays between the capital and producing districts, resulting in a stark shortage of fresh produce, fish, and poultry.
A market inspection on Monday across major kitchen markets—including Mohakhali, Jowar Sahara, and Badda—revealed a desolate picture.
Due to steady rain, customer footfall was exceptionally low, many stalls remained shuttered, and several indoor vending zones were partially waterlogged.
Consumers are now forced to dig deeper into their pockets as commodity prices spiral upward.
Supply Bottlenecks Push Up Vegetable and Broiler Costs
Retailers report that continuous rains have submerged agricultural fields in key growing regions, destroying crops. Furthermore, delivery trucks loaded with perishables are struggling to reach the capital on schedule.
This wholesale scarcity has trickled down directly to retail consumers, with most vegetable prices jumping by 20 BDT to 30 BDT per kilogram.
The price surge is heavily pronounced in basic greens and pantry staples:
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Green Chilies: Witnessed the sharpest spike, rising by 40 BDT to 60 BDT per kg to retail between 140 BDT and 200 BDT.
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Standard Vegetables: Okra, pointed gourd (potol), and bitter gourd (korola), previously hovering around 40 BDT to 60 BDT, have shot up to 60 BDT to 80 BDT per kg. Eggplant (baigon) is currently trading at a steep 80 BDT to 120 BDT per kg.
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Imported Tomatoes: Off-season imported Indian tomatoes have hit a staggering 220 BDT to 260 BDT per kg.
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Stables: Potatoes (25 BDT to 40 BDT) and local onions (40 BDT) remain relatively stable for now.
Explaining the crisis, Md. Milon Khan, a vendor at the Jowar Sahara market, stated:
“Due to the continuous rain and flooding in various areas over the past few days, vegetable fields have suffered extensive damage. As a result, the supply of vegetables in the wholesale warehouses has decreased slightly, pushing up prices. However, if this supply shortage persists, vegetable prices could skyrocket even further in the coming days.”
The poultry market is similarly volatile. Broiler chickens are selling at 180 BDT to 200 BDT per kg, up from last week’s 170 BDT to 180 BDT. Sonali (cock) chicken prices have climbed to 320 BDT – 360 BDT per kg, driven by escalating transport costs and lower supply from local farms.
Fish Market Volatility and Growing Consumer Frustration
The seafood sector offers no respite either. Reduced catches and logistical delays have forced fish prices up by 30 BDT to 50 BDT per kg across the board compared to last week.
Large Rui and Katla are currently fetching between 400 BDT and 550 BDT per kg, while larger prawns range anywhere from 700 BDT to 1,200 BDT per kg depending on size.
Confronted with the sudden price hikes, shoppers have voiced strong dissatisfaction with market mechanics, pointing to a lack of administrative oversight. Rahad Hossain, a disgruntled shopper at the Mohakhali market, remarked:
“This is nothing new; we have seen before that whenever it rains in the capital, the prices of vegetables and fish go up under various pretexts. Pointed gourd, which used to sell at 40 BDT a kg, is now being sold at 60 BDT. The price of green chilies has also gone up to 200 BDT. Due to the lack of monitoring in the market, traders are increasing prices at their whim and picking the pockets of consumers.”
The current volatility in Dhaka’s kitchen markets highlights the high vulnerability of urban supply chains to adverse weather anomalies.
While the continuous rainfall and regional flooding are genuinely impacting logistics and crop yields, consumers are bearing the brunt of unchecked retail hikes.
Without immediate intervention from market monitoring authorities to regulate fair pricing and prevent arbitrary markups, fixed-income families will continue to face immense financial distress until the weather settles.