Eggs, long considered one of the more affordable sources of animal protein for low-income households in Bangladesh, are becoming increasingly expensive, adding to the financial strain caused by rising food prices.
The pressure is particularly evident among families that have already reduced their consumption of fish and meat. For many such households, eggs and vegetables have become the main alternatives for maintaining a basic diet. But with egg prices now climbing, even that option is becoming harder to sustain.
At around 10am on Saturday, homemaker Sajuda Begum bought four eggs from Samiti Bazar in East Nakhalpara, Tejgaon, in the capital. The price was Tk 55 for just four eggs.
Sajuda said her husband works as a painter at a workshop and earns Tk 600 a day. His daily wage is the family’s main source of income. With fish and meat largely outside their regular budget, the household relies on eggs and vegetables for much of its protein intake.
She said the family had been eating more eggs because vegetable prices were already high. Now that eggs have also become expensive, managing everyday food expenses has become more difficult.
A survey of Samiti Bazar, Karwan Bazar and Nakhalpara found that farm-produced white eggs were selling for Tk 140-145 a dozen, while brown eggs were priced at Tk 145-150. In neighbourhood shops, consumers were being charged Tk 55 for four eggs, equivalent to Tk 165 a dozen.
The increase has persisted for around two months, according to market participants. Data from the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) also show that egg prices rose by more than 3 per cent over the past month.
The recent increase comes after egg prices had fallen significantly earlier in the year. Around four months ago, a dozen eggs had dropped to Tk 100-110. Prices then began to rise gradually, eventually reaching their current level.
Consumer representatives have accused some traders of manipulating the market to increase profits. They argue that excessive margins are making an important source of protein less accessible to ordinary households, particularly those with limited incomes.
Retailers, however, attribute the rise partly to increased demand. They say vegetable prices are usually higher around this time of year, prompting some consumers to rely more heavily on eggs. Higher demand can then put additional pressure on prices.
Some traders also claim that a large share of eggs supplied to Dhaka comes from Tangail. They allege that traders in the capital exert considerable influence over market prices and communicate selling rates to businesses in different parts of the country through WhatsApp. According to these traders, transactions subsequently take place at those rates.
Saiful Gazi, a retail egg seller at Karwan Bazar, said wholesale prices have been fluctuating frequently. According to him, wholesalers may reduce prices for two days before increasing them again over the following three days. Such repeated changes have gradually pushed the retail price towards Tk 150 a dozen.
The situation is reminiscent of the sharp increase in egg prices in September and October 2024. At that time, the price of a dozen eggs climbed to Tk 160-165, prompting widespread concern. The Ministry of Commerce subsequently fixed the retail price at Tk 11.87 per egg, equivalent to Tk 142 a dozen.
Egg prices have also risen sharply in Chattogram, indicating that the pressure is not limited to the capital. A dozen eggs that sold for Tk 140-145 a week earlier are now being sold for Tk 160-165, an increase of around Tk 15-20 within just seven days.
Ahmed Faruk, a trader at a wholesale sales centre in Bahaddarhat, said prices had remained stable for some time before beginning to rise again. He attributed part of the latest increase to rainfall and said higher prices charged by supplying farms and wholesalers were being passed on to consumers.
Similar conditions have been reported at Chowmuhani Bazar near Agrabad.
SM Nazer Hossain, president of the Chattogram divisional committee of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh, said inadequate market monitoring was allowing unscrupulous traders to exploit consumers. He called for stronger action against those responsible for unjustified price increases.
He also pointed to the previous price surge in 2024, when a dozen eggs reached Tk 160. He said the current market had once again moved beyond the price level that previously prompted government intervention.
Supply conditions in Chattogram have also come under scrutiny. According to traders, between 2 million and 2.5 million eggs are bought and sold in the city every day, with the majority supplied from outside the region.
The Chattogram divisional livestock department said more than 6,000 poultry and duck farms were affected by floods in July. Among the affected farms were those raising layer chickens, which are responsible for egg production.
Local egg production in Chattogram was already insufficient to meet demand, according to the department. Damage to layer farms caused by the floods has added another potential constraint to supply. Traders and consumer representatives, however, disagree over how much of the latest price increase can be attributed to genuine supply shortages and how much may be linked to market manipulation.
The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection has said it will examine the situation. Atia Sultana, a director at the agency, said market monitoring is carried out regularly and that officials would investigate whether any manipulation is taking place in the egg market.
For low-income families, the issue extends beyond the price of a single food item. Eggs have traditionally provided a relatively inexpensive way to add protein to daily meals when fish and meat are too costly. A sustained increase in egg prices therefore risks narrowing the food choices available to households already operating on tight budgets.
With prices in some retail markets now reaching Tk 165 a dozen, attention is likely to remain focused on the entire supply chain, from farms and wholesalers to retailers. Greater transparency over pricing and effective market monitoring will be key to determining whether the latest increase is being driven mainly by supply and demand or whether consumers are also bearing the cost of unjustified margins.
