Prices of different types of fruits, tea and cigarettes shot up in the city after the finance minister presented the proposed budget for the fiscal 2012-13 on Thursday.
The prices of eggs and potatoes also went up over the week ending on Friday.
Market observers and consumers said the prices of imported fruits and tea had gradually increased in past few days with traders anticipating duty hikes in the proposed budget.
‘There is no reason why the prices should increase overnight after the budget speech of the finance minister. Duty hikes of some items have been proposed in the speech and they are yet to be made effective,’ said Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, general secretary of Consumers Association of Bangladesh.
The CAB general secretary termed it a trick of a section of profiteers in the absence of effective market monitoring by the government.
On Friday grapes were selling at Tk 350 to Tk 400 a kilogram in city’s New Market, Hatirpool and Madartek markets. The price was between Tk 280 and Tk 320 a kg last week.
Malta and apple were selling at Tk 200 to Tk 220 a kg and Tk 150 to Tk 160 a kg respectively on the day against their last week’s prices of Tk 140-150 and Tk 130-140 respectively.
The price of pomegranate, however, remained unchanged and was selling at Tk 220-260 a kg.
The price of litchi, a juicy summer fruit, jumped to Tk 300-Tk 400 for each 100 litchis on Friday, said the latest data of the department of agriculture marketing.
Besides, blackberry was selling at Tk 80 to Tk 100 a kg against Tk 60-80 last week but the prices of local mangoes like ‘himsagar’ and ‘langra’ remained unchanged at Tk 70 to Tk 90 a kg.
Mohammad Zakir, a fruit vendor at Madartek, said that he had to charge higher prices because he had bought the fruits from wholesalers at higher prices. ‘Litchi and blackberry will be out of market in a few
days and that is a reason that their prices have increased.’
The supply of mangoes in the market is aplenty but its prices are not showing any signs of decreasing, said banker Sabbir Hossain who does his groceries at New Market.
The price of packed tea had increased by Tk 30-40 a kg in past few days, said Jahangir Hossain, a grocer at the city’s Sabujbag market. ‘We sold a 500-gram packet of Mirzapur tea for Tk 120 a week ago but the price is now Tk 140.’
Prices of different types of cigarettes increased in the markets in a day, said a seller Mofazzel Hossin at Begunbari, adding that each stick of Beson and Hedges and Gold Leaf brands had increased by Tk 0.50 to Tk 8.00 and to Tk 5.00 respectively.
Price of four pieces of eggs increased by Tk 4 and was selling for Tk 38 to Tk 40. Potato price increased by Tk 2.00 and was selling at Tk 22-24 a kg on Friday.
A kilogram of broiler chicken was retailing at as high as Tk 175-180 a kg while local red lentil and Nepali red lentil prices remained unchanged over the week and were retailing at Tk 100-105 a kg and Tk 105- 110 a kg respectively. 
The price of unpacked super palm oil, however, reduced by Tk 5 a kg and was retailing for Tk 113 to Tk 115 a kg.
Prices of unpacked soya bean oil remained unchanged at Tk 130-132 a kg and that of bottled soya bean oil at Tk 650-660 for a 5-litre bottle.
The prices of okra, aubergine, snake gourd and green papaya had decreased by Tk 5.00 to Tk 10 a kg and was retailing for Tk 22-26 a kg, Tk 28- 32 a kg, Tk 25-28 a kg and Tk 36-40 a kg respectively.