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The rate of inflation on a point-to-point basis eased moderately in August but increased slightly on a month-to-month basis.
On a point-to-point basis, inflation in August fell to 8.29 per cent from 8.55 per cent in July, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) said Sunday.
On the other hand, inflation on a month-to-month basis increased to 2.36 per cent in August from 2.23 per cent in July.
The August inflation rate was the lowest in the last 37 months.
Inflation was 7.48 per cent in July 2022, according to BBS data.
Since then, the rate never went below 8.0 per cent.
Food inflation went up slightly to 7.60 per cent in August from 7.56 per cent in July.
Non-food inflation, however, fell to 8.90 per cent in August from 9.38 per cent in July.
Meanwhile, the inflationary pressure in rural areas was higher than urban ones.
In August, general inflation on a point-to-point basis in rural areas was 8.39 per cent, down from 8.55 per cent in July.
In the same month, food inflation was 7.50 per cent, compared to 7.36 per cent in July.
Non-food inflation was 9.28 per cent in August, down from 9.73 per cent in July.
On the other hand, in urban areas, general inflation on a point-to-point basis in August was 8.24 per cent, which was 8.95 per cent in July.
Food inflation in August was 7.87 per cent, down from 8.04 per cent in July.
Non-food inflation in August was 8.49 per cent, compared to 9.55 per cent in July.
Meanwhile, the general wage growth rate for skilled and unskilled labourers slightly fell in August to 8.15 per cent from 8.19 per cent in July.
Bangladeshis have been under severe pressure due to high inflation, which resulted in increased food prices, for the past three years as the Russia-Ukraine war seriously disrupted supply chains and destabilised the country's macroeconomic position.
The government is supplying food at subsidised rates to help ease the inflationary pressure, particularly on low- and lower-middle-income groups.
In FY25, average inflation on a point-to-point basis was 10.03 per cent.
In its budget proposal, the government set a target to bring down inflation to 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal year.
syful-islam@outlook.com