October inflation edges down to 8.17pc

Inflation in Bangladesh edged down with October recording 8.17 per cent, official data showed Wednesday, as food prices yielded some respite although nonfood necessities remained obdurate.

Analysts say the inflation rate in the past month could have fallen further from previous month's count hadn't the higher prices of non-farm, industrial commodities heated up the indices.

The consumer price index (CPI) on food items fell to some extent on a point-to-point basis in the past month facilitated cooling the overall inflation rate, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data showed.

On the other side of the macroeconomic parameter, inflation incidence on account of nonfood items was comparatively higher in the month, the national statistical body shows in its calculations.

According to the October CPI, urban life has been costlier in recent times as the inflation rate in the towns was higher than the average rate across the country.

The rate of inflation on a point-to-point basis in Bangladesh recorded at 8.17 per cent in October was 0.19-percentage-point lower than 8.36 per cent in September, the BBS showed.

In the corresponding period in October 2024, Bangladesh saw a double-digit inflation rate at 10.87 per cent.

The government targets to cage the wayward average inflation within 6.5 per cent during this fiscal year (FY) 2025-26.

Before the latest upward trend, the month-on-month inflation had steadily decreased from 9.35 per cent in March to 9.17 per cent in April, to 9.05 per cent in May, and to 8.48 per cent in June, the official statistics show.

But the mercury heated up again in July to climb to 8.55 per cent. Although the rate in August decreased to 8.29 per cent, it again rose to 8.36 per cent in the month of September.

Meanwhile, the inflation rate on a point-to-point basis in the urban areas was higher than that in the rural areas. According to the BBS, the rate in urban areas last month was 8.33 per cent while it was 8.16 per cent in the rural areas.

In the towns, the rate of food inflation has been recorded at 7.45 per cent for last month against 7.94 per cent in September this year.

The nonfood inflation in the urban areas was also recorded higher at 8.92 per cent in October in a rise from 8.51 per cent in the previous month.

On the other hand, the food inflation in rural areas in the past month had fallen significantly to 6.94 per cent from 7.54 per cent in September, as shown in the official counts.

Nonfood inflation was recorded a little bit higher at 9.41 per cent in October from 9.40 per cent in the previous month, September last.

Meanwhile, the 12-month average inflation in Bangladesh was still high at 9.22 per cent between November 2024 and October 2025, the BBS data showed.

In the corresponding period between November 2023 and October 2024, the inflation rate was 10.05 per cent.

Meanwhile, the BBS also unveiled the Wage Rate Index (WRI) for the month of October, which has fallen further.

According to the statistics, the WRI last month was 8.01 per cent, in a 0.01- percentage-point lower than in the previous month of August (8.02 per cent), a bit waning wage-earners' purchasing power