Inflation drops slightly in March

The point-to-point inflation rate in March dropped to 5.68 per cent compared to that of the previous month (February), official data showed.
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data, unveiled on Tuesday, showed that the point-to-point inflation decreased slightly by 0.04 percentage points in last month compared to 5.72 per cent in February.
The national statistical body showed that the inflation in March of the current financial year (FY), 2017-18, however, increased by 0.34 percentage points compared to the same month in the previous FY.
According to the BBS data, the point-to-point inflation rate in March of FY 17 was recorded at 5.39 per cent.
Emerging from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting, Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal unveiled the quarterly inflation data.
He told reporters that the inflation in the third quarter (January-March) of the current FY was recorded at 5.76 per cent, slightly lower from that of the previous quarter (October-December).
During Oct-Dec period of FY 18, the inflation was recorded at 5.93 per cent.
The minister, however, did not disclose the food and non-food inflation data in the press briefing on Tuesday.
He said the inflation has dropped slightly in the third quarter (Jan-Mar) of this fiscal, as prices of eggs, spices and vegetables have decreased.
Meanwhile, Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.84 to 248.65 in this March from 247.81 in the previous month, the BBS data showed.
According to the agency, the point-to-point inflation in both urban and rural areas in Bangladesh also dropped in March compared to February.
Inflation in the rural areas decreased to 5.63 per cent in March from that of 5.64 per cent in the previous month.
In the urban areas the inflation declined to 5.76 per cent in last month from that of 5.87 per cent in February, it showed.

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