The prices began to rise immediately after the proposed budget for FY06 was tabled in parliament, and the passage of budget on Thursday only added to the miseries of the consumers in low income bracket, said a trader in the city's Karwan Bazar kitchen market.

"Imposing VAT on the imports may have accounted for the price hike," he observed.

Prices of essential items, mostly vegetables shot up by around Tk 5 a kg on average, according to traders in Karwan Bazar and Mirpur-6 kitchen markets.

The price of green chilli rose by an astonishing 300 percent in ten days. It sold at Tk 50 yesterday, up from Tk 12 a kg.

"I would buy one palla (five kgs) of green chilli for Tk 50 only ten days back. But I had to buy one palla for Tk 210 today," said Ruhul Quddus, a trader at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market yesterday.

Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury will chair today's meeting convened to discuss the possible government intervention in the post-budget market situation, news agency UNB quoted a [commerce] ministry official as saying.

Besides, the 'national taskforce' formed to contain the price spiral will hold a meeting on July 6, it added.

In Karwan Bazar yesterday, one kg of salt was selling at Tk 15, up from Tk 10 last week, while sugar at Tk 36, up from Tk 32. Soybean oil, which was selling at Tk 52 last week, now sells at Tk 55. Price of pulses swelled to Tk 48 yesterday from Tk 44 last week.

Tea sells at Tk 170, up from Tk 160.

Patal was selling at Tk 14 yesterday, up from Tk 10 a week back. Bitter gourd was selling at Tk 20 a kg, up from Tk 16. Cucumbers cost Tk 20 a kg yesterday, though it was Tk 12 a week ago. Aubergine, which was selling Tk 16 seven days back, sold at Tk 24 yesterday.

Price of kidney beans (barbati) ranged between Tk 10 and Tk 12 last week, but it cost customers Tk 15 for a kg yesterday. The price of tomato increased to Tk 30 a kg yesterday, from Tk 20 a week ago. Price of green papaya rose by Tk 2, while that of a one-kg coriander leaf shot up to Tk 70, from Tk 40 a week back.

Snake-gourd (chichinga), which sold at Tk 10 last week, is now selling at Tk 16, while okra at Tk 18, up from Tk 12 a kg, potato at Tk 9, up from Tk 8 a week back.

Growers cannot plant and harvest vegetables in rain, which also hampers the transportation of perishable items, traders explained.

Besides vegetables, price of onion went up from Tk 12 to 18 and garlic from Tk 55 to 62 (imported) and Tk 40 to 48 (local). Prices of a dozen of eggs increased to Tk 48 yesterday, from a range between Tk 36 and Tk 38 10 days ago.