According to the Daily Star, industry insiders see the 62 percent hike in the prices of the daily necessity as a 'record high'. The item was selling at Tk 26 a 'hali' (four pieces) in Dhaka's different kitchen markets yesterday.

A Daily Star correspondent reports from Chittagong that eggs are much dearer there as retailers charge customers Tk28 for four pieces.

“It's a very critical situation. The rate of layer chicken farming dropped over 50 percent in the last one year due to bird flu panic among farmers,” MA Saleque, programme head of Brac's agro and salt industry, told the news agency.

“The situation will deteriorate further if the present trend continues for the next six months,” he feared.