A market survey yesterday revealed that the government steps have had a little impact on the prices.

The prices of onion, edible oil, sugar, red chili, garlic, turmeric and vegetables have shot up over the last two weeks.

"I have bought one litre of soybean oil at Tk 52, which is at least six taka higher than last month," said Shamsuddin, a buyer at Mirpur-1 kitchen market.

"I have bought onion at Tk 32 a kilogram, paying an extra Tk 10 over its price last month," said Selina Akther, another buyer at the same market.

"I don't know how the economy operates, but we have read in newspapers that the government has taken some steps to bring down the prices of essentials," she said, adding that the steps could not make any impression.

Wholesalers admitted that the prices of essentials are still much higher than last month.

"I'm charging Tk 24 for a kilogram of onion as its wholesale price. The supply of onion in the market is not enough to meet its demand," said Kamal, a wholesale trader in the city's Karwan Bazar.

"The demand for onion has gone up in the last two weeks, and it will take some time for its price to stabilise as we will have to depend on its import, " he added.

The Ministry of Commerce formed a taskforce a few days back to monitor market prices and fixed the price of onion at Tk 18 a kilo .

The prices of vegetables have also increased. In Mirpur-1 kitchen market, a kilo of potato is being sold at Tk 13, tomato at Tk 42, green chilli at Tk 32 and turmeric at Tk 69.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Consumers' Society (BACSO) in a press conference yesterday blamed Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury for failing to control the prices of essentials.

"The commerce minister caved in to the pressure of the businessmen and has failed to control the prices," said Faruk Ahmed, secretary general of the BACSO, at the press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) auditorium.

The BACSO urged the government to update the laws on consumers' rights through amendments.