Shoppers feel the heat as vegetables stay high, fish costs climb in Durga Puja inflation

At Mahakhali’s Saat Tola kitchen market, moments after Friday prayers, van driver Saheb Ali was found grumbling as he walked out of the fish market. He had just argued over the price of pangas catfish. Asked why he was upset, he told bdnews24.com: “This pangas is farmed. Just three days ago I bought it for Tk 170 a kg. Now they’re asking Tk 200. I won’t buy your fish!” A visit to Dhaka’s Mahakhali, Saat Tola and Niketan kitchen markets on Friday showed that vegetable prices have not cooled down. On top of that, fish prices have risen. Traders said the increase was partly due to Durga Puja. Vegetables remain mostly in the Tk 80-120 per kg range, except for...