Economic Reporter :
The general point-to-point inflation rate in the country slightly eased to 5.83 percentage point in December 2017 down from 5.91 percentage point in last November with the non-food inflation rate witnessing a downtrend.
“The general point-to-point inflation rate slightly eased to 5.83 percentage point in December,” said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday, while releasing the monthly consumer price index (CPI) after the day’s ECNEC meeting. The general point to point inflation rate in October 2017 was 6.04 percent.
According to data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the point-to-point food inflation, however, slightly increased to 7.13 percentage point in December 2017 up from 7.09 percentage point in November last.
The Planning Minister said that the average inflation during the 2nd quarter (October-December) of the current fiscal year (FY) was 5.93 percent which was 5.32 percent duringthe 2nd quarter of the last fiscal year (FY17).
Mustafa Kamal said the immediate past calendar year was a bit different as that yearexperienced the adverse impacts of climate change like flash flood, flood and excessive rain.
“But, it’s my belief that within the next one and a half months, everything will be normal, especially in those areas where there are some pressures on inflation,” he added.
The point to point general inflation at rural level during the 2nd quarter (October-December) of the current fiscal year was 5.97 percent which was 4.69 percent during the 2nd quarter of the last fiscal year (FY17).
At the urban level, the general point to point inflation during the 2nd quarter of the current fiscal witnessed a downtrend with 5.86 percent which was 6.50 percent during thesame period of the last fiscal year (FY17).
The BBS data showed that the point to point non-food inflation rate slightly declined to 3.85 percent in December, 2017 down from 4.10 percent in November, 2017.
Besides, the general inflation rate at the urban level in December declined to 5.82 percent while it was 5.84 percent at the rural level.
At the rural level, the food inflation slightly increased to 7.08 percent in December, up from 7.07 percent in the previous month, while the non-food inflation declined to 3.54
percent in December as against 3.83 percent in November last year. In urban areas, the food inflation, however, increased to 7.22 percent in December, up from 7.15 percent in November.
The non-food inflation rate, however, witnessed a downtrend as it was 4.25 percent in December down from 4.47 percent in November.
