Following the announcement of the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, retail markets in the capital have shown no immediate signs of a major price flare-up. Key essentials—including rice, lentils, onions, and garlic—are mostly retailing at their pre-budget rates.
However, packaged soybean oil registered a BDT 5 increase per liter compared to last week. Traders emphasized that this price hike was implemented by supply companies prior to the budget speech and bears no direct correlation to the newly proposed fiscal policies.
Spot Picture of Capital Markets
A Friday morning survey of the Middle Badda Kitchen Market and the Merul Badda Five-Storey Market revealed a largely stable pricing environment for daily kitchen staples.
| Commodity | Current Retail Price (in BDT) | Status / Trend |
| Soybean Oil (Bottled) | ~200 per liter | Increased by BDT 5/liter over the week |
| Garlic | 150 per kg | Stable |
| Lentils (Musur Dal) | 100 – 160 per kg | Stable (depending on quality) |
| Onions | 40 per kg | Stable |
Retailers Dismiss Budget Connection
Traders on the ground pointed out that wholesale and company-level supply chain factors, rather than the budget announcement, dictated the shift in oil prices.
“We haven’t seen any budget impact on the market yet. Most commodity prices are exactly where they were. Only the price of soybean oil was hiked by the corporate suppliers, forcing us to retail it at a higher rate,” noted Md. Abdul Kader, a grocery retailer at Middle Badda.
Md. Shahin Miah, another vendor from the same market, added: “The new batches of oil arrived from the distributors with a higher price tag. We don’t know the exact reasoning behind their decision, but we have to price it according to our procurement costs. It doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the budget.”
Consumer Grievances Mount
Despite stability in other sectors, the incremental rise in oil prices has drawn sharp reactions from general consumers, who feel the pinch on their monthly budgets.
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Md. Rofiqul Islam, a resident of Merul Badda: “Oil is an indispensable item used daily in every household. Even an increase of a few Taka compounds into a massive pressure by the end of the month. Buying edible oil is becoming genuinely difficult for regular citizens.”
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Sabina Yasmin, a shopper: “While other products are steady, the price of oil keeps fluctuating upwards. Managing household expenses is turning into a struggle. The government needs to enforce stricter market monitoring on these essential items.”
Poultry, Eggs, and Fish Remain Unchanged
Parallelly, the meat and fish stalls across Dhaka’s prominent kitchen markets reflected no sudden volatility post-budget.
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Broiler Chicken: Selling at BDT 155 to 160 per kg.
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Sonali Chicken: Retailing at BDT 340 per kg.
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Eggs: Priced consistently between BDT 110 and 120 per dozen.
Market analysts and insiders noted that while the initial reaction to the proposed FY2026-27 budget has been quiet, consumers and sellers alike remain highly watchful to see how broader macroeconomic policies might affect supply chains and transport costs in the coming weeks.
