Inflation up in final months of FY17

Consumer prices rose to 5.72 per cent in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year after remaining slightly low in comparison to the previous year. The rate was 5.53 per cent in the same period of fiscal 2015-2016, reports bdnews24.com.

Early floods and anticipation of the national budget caused inflation to accelerate in the final months of 2016-17 (FY17), said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal at a media briefing on Tuesday.

"The rise in rice prices mainly contributed to the food inflation hike. Prices of some products were increased in the lead-up to the budget announcement. This also contributed to the rate."

Annual inflation eased to 5.44 per cent in the year to June from 5.92 per cent a year ago, according to data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.