Dhaka, Sept. 23 -- Despite being in the peak hilsa season, prices of hilsa fish have skyrocketed in Dhaka's Jatrabari wholesale and retail markets, where a kilogram is currently selling for Tk 2,300-2,500.

Due to the price soaring this year's Hilsa fish out of reach not only for low-income families but also for many middle-income households, who once saw hilsa as a symbol of cultural pride and tradition on their dining tables.

Fish traders attribute the steep hike to rising transportation costs, middlemen profiteering, and high consumer demand outstripping limited supply, despite reports of a relatively good catch in major hilsa hubs such as Chandpur, Barishal, and Patharghata.

Medium-sized hilsa in those areas still command Tk 1,700-2...