Mango now sells at Tk 90-100 a kilogram, banana (Sagor variety) Tk 36-42 a dozen and a piece of medium-size jackfruit at Tk 60-80.

Only last year, the same, at the same time of the season, were sold at Tk 50-60, Tk 24-30 and Tk 40-50 respectively.

"Fruits have become elusive. Every year they are going out of our reach," said Rafiqul Islam, 40, a primary school teacher.

'It's really a shame for a father who sometimes cannot manage even banana for his two growing children," he lamented.

"But days were when poor people used to live on jackfruit instead of rice. Because jackfruit was in abundance and cheaper," reminisced Amjad Ali, 60, a retired government official who was trying mango at the Karwan Bazar fruit corner.

Ayesha Banu, 22, a garments worker, said she could not afford to buy 'loving' jackfruit this year. She bought only two kilograms of mango during the peak season and that is all.

"I bought a small piece of papaya for my ailing mother for Tk 25 yesterday. Doctor told me to give her fruit but how can I manage it every day?" she posed.

Ayesha said she earns around Tk 2000 a month working for 10-12 hours a day in a knitwear unit. She lost her father recently and has two young brothers.

"Fruits remain a distant dream when you cannot even assure bread and water for three hungry mouths with such small amount," Ayesha said.

Amena Begum, 45, a domestic help, said she had to think twice before going for a pair of guava for her two grandsons.

"We always thought guava were for the poor. But it has also turned pricey".

A market survey showed guava, once considered as 'poor men's apple', has almost caught up with the prices of imported apple. Guava (kazi variety), now sells at around Tk 60 a kilogram while apple at Tk 85-90.

Pineapple that gets damaged in huge quantity every year, is also selling at Tk 35-40 a pair. They were around Tk 20-25 last year.

Amra, a local variety of sour fruit, sells at Tk 36-48 a dozen and 'lotkon', a sweet and sour wild variety, sells at Tk 50-60 a kilogram. Prices of both the items doubled compared to last year's.

Fruit wholesalers could not give any definite reason but many of them attributed the price hikes to transport and production cost and a few also pointed to population boom.