, July 29 -- Despite a record Boro harvest, rice prices in Bangladesh remain unusually high, raising questions about market manipulation amid weak monitoring as well as regulation.

A visit to several rice wholesale markets in Dhaka reveals only a marginal decrease in prices. Coarse rice is selling at Tk 55 per kilogram, while the "Atash" variety is priced at Tk 65 per kg.

Medium-quality Nazirshail and Miniket varieties are going for Tk 70-75 per kg, while premium Kataribhog and Miniket are fetching Tk 85-90 per kg in some areas. All of these prices are roughly Tk 5 per kg higher than in the period just prior to the last Eid ul Azha.

Human chain in Ctg demands urgent action to curb rice price hike

The price of 50-kg sacks has increased...