Rice Prices Climb in Bangladesh as Floods Batter the Harvest

Rice prices are climbing across Bangladesh as floods damage crops and import fears grow. Markets in Dhaka and Chattogram have felt the squeeze this week. Fine varieties have led the increase. Traders point to a mix of pressures at once.

The figures tell the story. In Dhaka, fine rice now sells at about Tk 72 per kilogramme. It cost Tk 70 a week ago. Coarse rice has risen to Tk 50 from Tk 48. In Chattogram, fine rice has jumped to Tk 95 from Tk 85.

Why rice prices are rising

Rice prices are rising for several linked reasons. Heavy rain has hit farming across many districts. Flood water has damaged the Aus crop and Aman seedbeds. Higher paddy costs then flow through to shops.

The scale of the damage is large. Officials say rain has affected farming in 43 districts. More than five lakh farmers have suffered losses. Around 87,000 hectares of farmland lie damaged, about seven percent of cultivated land.

An agricultural economist warned of a real production hit. He estimated roughly 15 percent of the Aus crop damaged. That could cut output by about 4.5 lakh tonnes. Such losses ripple through the whole market.

Import uncertainty adds to the strain. Questions hang over rice supplies from India. Traders dislike uncertainty. They price the risk into every sack.

The human impact is immediate. Rice anchors the daily meal for millions. Even small rises hurt low-income families hard. A few taka per kilo can reshape a household budget.

The government faces a familiar test. It must weigh imports, storage and market signals. Move too slowly, and prices climb further. Move clumsily, and farmers lose out.

These floods follow a punishing stretch of weather, including deadly landslides earlier this month. The harvest now carries that damage into the market.

Watch the next few weeks closely. Rain, imports and policy will decide the plate’s price.

Fact basis: Reporting from The Daily Star and The Business Standard, July 2026.