Inflation surges to 8.36pc in September, reversing August’s decline

After a dip in August, inflation rate has surged again, to 8.36 percent, in September.

The latest Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) figures show a 0.07 percentage point rise in inflation, compared with 8.29 percent in August. In September last year, inflation stood at 9.92 percent.

The inflation rate in July this year was recorded at 8.55 percent. The following month saw a slight decrease, marking the lowest inflation in 37 months.

Inflation had been hovering around 9-10 percent in the months following the July Uprising, peaking at 11.66 percent.

The point-to-point inflation figure means that a product or service costing Tk 100 in September 2024 would cost Tk 108.36 in September 2025.

Inflation had decreased to 9.05 percent in May this year and dropped to 8.48 percent in June. The following month, however, the figure began to rise again, with the rate well above the government’s target, despite the August dip.

For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the government has set a target of keeping inflation within 6.5 percent. To achieve this, the Bangladesh Bank has maintained high interest rates.

According to the latest BBS data, both food and non-food inflation rose in September. Food inflation increased from 7.60 percent in August to 7.64 percent in September, while non-food inflation rose from 8.90 percent in August to 8.98 percent.

Rural inflation increased to 8.47 percent in September from 8.39 percent the previous month, while urban inflation edged up from 8.24 percent in August to 8.28 percent.