Inflation declines slightly to 7.44pc in Feb: BBS

The general point-to-point inflation rate declined to 7.44 percent in February from 7.50 percent in January 2014 compared to 7.84 percent in February 2013. However, point-to-point food inflation rate increased slightly in February to 8.84 percent from 8.81 percent in January 2014. The figures were disclosed by Golam Mostafa Kamal, Director General of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), while releasing the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) at the BBS auditorium on Thursday. He said the food inflation rate slightly went up due to price-hike of rice, pulse, wheat, fish, egg, meat, edible oil and milk-powder. The BBS director general said non-food inflation rate also declined to 5.37 percent in February, down from 5.53 percent in January this year. In urban areas, the general point-to-point inflation rate was 7.97 percent in February whereas the rate was 7.17 in the rural areas. The general inflation in urban areas in January was 7.97 percent while 7.24 percent in rural areas. The food inflation increased in rural areas in February to 8.42 percent, up from 8.39 percent in January. The non-food inflation in rural areas was found declining as it was 4.92 percent in February compared to 5.17 percent in January 2014. In urban areas, the food inflation rate slightly increased in February to 9.84 percent from 9.80 percent in January. However, non-food inflation rate in urban areas witnessed downtrend in February as it stood at 5.99 percent as against 6.04 percent in January 2014. The point-to-point national wage index rate also went up to 9.23 percent in February, which was 9.16 percent in January this year, according to UNB.