Economic Reporter :
The general point-to-point inflation rate in June has slightly eased to 5.54 percent from the previous month as a result of the slight decrease in food inflation, said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday while releasing the monthly consumer price index after the day’s ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.
“The general point-to-point inflation rate slightly eased to 5.54 percent in June,” The general point-to-point inflation rate in May was 5.57 percent down from 5.63 percent in April. In March, it was 5.68 percent while 5.72 percent in February, and 5.88 percent in January.
According to the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the point-to-point food inflation slightly declined to 5.98 percent in June 2018 that was 6.56 percent in May 2018.
After revealing the data, the Planning Minister said the inflation rate is declining gradually as the price of all commodities like sugar, pulse and fuel oil is on the decline in international markets while there has been a bumper production of crops in this year.
He also informed that the stock of food grains that the government now have would be enough to feed the country for the next two years if there is any such situation.
The BBS data showed that the point-to-point non-food inflation rate, however, increased slightly to 4.87 percent in June 2018 up from 4.08 percent in May 2018.
Besides, the general inflation rate at the urban level in June declined to 6.39 percent while it was 5.07 percent at the rural level.
At the rural level, the food inflation also declined to 5.25 percent in June, down from 5.62 percent in the previous month, while the non-food inflation increased to 4.76 percent in June as against 4.07 percent in May this year.
In urban areas, the food inflation also declined to 7.63 percent in June down from 8.69 percent in May. The non-food inflation rate, however witnessed a slight rising trend with 5.03 percent in June, which was 4.08 percent in May last.
The national wage index rate witnessed a 6.31 percent growth in June with 154.44 point against 6.37 percent growth with 153.70 point in May.
The average year- to-year rate of inflation from July 2017 to June 2018 also declined to 5.78 percent, which was 5.44 percent from July 2016 to June 2017.
