Inflation eases to 5.63 pc in April

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DHAKA, May 8, 2018 (BSS) – The general point to point inflation rate in April slightly eased to 5.63 percentage point from the previous month due to the slight decrease in both food and non food inflation.

“The general point to point inflation rate slightly eased to 5.63 percentage point in April,” 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 in March was 5.68 percentage point while it was 5.72 percentage point in February. The general point to point inflation rate in January was 5.88 percentage point.

According to the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the point to point food inflation slightly declined to 7.03 percent in April, 2018 which was 7.09 percent in March, 2018.

After revealing the data, the Planning Minister said the inflation rate is declining gradually and it would remain within the budgetary target and the target envisaged in the 7th Five Year Plan.

He noted that the price of most commodities including the imported items alongside the locally produced commodities as well as essential iteams are on the decline. “Hopefully the inflation rate will come down within 5.50 percent at the end of the current fiscal year,” he said.

The BBS data showed that the point to point non-food inflation rate also declined slightly to 3.49 percent in April 2018 down from 3.52 percent in March, 2018.

Besides, the general inflation rate at the urban level in April declined to 5.70 percent while it was 5.59 percent at the rural level.

At the rural level, the food inflation also declined to 6.76 percent in April, down from 6.77 percent in the previous month, while the non-food inflation declined to 3.44 percent in April as against 3.52 percent in March this year.

In urban areas, the food inflation also declined to 7.63 percent in April, down from 7.80 percent in March. The non-food inflation rate, however, witnessed a slight rising trend with 3.57 percent in April which was 3.51 percent in March last.

The national wage index rate witnessed a 6.42 percent growth in April with 153.39 point against 6.38 percent growth with 152.98 point in March. The average year-to-year rate of inflation from May 2017 to April 2018 also declined to 5.83 percent, which was 5.38 percent from May 2016 to April 2017.