Shoppers got sticker shock this week as onion prices jumped Tk 20–25 in days, with most Dhaka neighborhood shops quoting Tk 85–90/kg and better-stocked outlets at Tk 75–90/kg. The surge started at source hubs in Pabna, then ripped through wholesale markets to the capital.

Retail moved from roughly Tk 55–65 → Tk 75–90/kg within a week. In Pabna’s Boailmari hat, wholesale quotes climbed from Tk 2,000–2,200 to Tk 2,500–2,700 per maund (40 kg)—an increase of Tk 12.5–17.5/kg that quickly passed to consumers.

Farmers report rot in stored onions—a mix of early harvesting, poor curing, and recent rains—cutting market-ready supply. With stocks thinning, traders and stockists pushed up asking prices. Result: a fast, nationwide mark-up.

Authorities are holding import permits, arguing that a flood of cheaper foreign onions could hammer growers. But with prices climbing, pressure is mounting for a policy U-turn to cool the market.

Output rose from last year in 2024, yet on-farm losses and weak storage undercut the benefit. When supply at the source shrinks—even briefly—Dhaka pays more at the till.

Despite the weekly shock, today’s Tk 75–90/kg remains below last year’s same-period range (domestic Tk 110–120/kg, imported Tk 100–110/kg). This is a sharp short-term spike, not a return to the worst levels.