Inflation slightly declines to 6.17pc

The inflation rate witnessed a downtrend as it was recorded 6.17 percentage point in August last, down from 6.36 percentage point in July 2015.
"The inflation rate in August declined to 6.17 percentage point against 6.36 percentage point in July," said Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal while releasing the monthly consumer price index at a Meet-the-Press programme at the NEC conference room on Wednesday.
The minister said the inflation rate was under control as the prices of rice and non-food items remained stable amid the price  hike of some essentials, including vegetables, due to flood.
In August 2014, the inflation rate was 6.91 percentage point, up from 6.17 percentage point in August last, a news agency report said.
The average year-on-year rate of inflation from August 2014 to August 2015 stood at 6.29 percent, which was 7.24 percent from August 2013 to August 2014.
Apart from the general inflation rate, both the rates of food inflation and non-food inflation posted a declining trend in August. The point-to-point food inflation at the national level stood at 6.06 percentage point in August, slightly down from 6.07 percentage point in July while the non-food inflation came down to 6.35 percentage point in August, which was 6.80 percentage point in July.
Besides, the general inflation rate in urban and rural areas slightly decreased in this August. The rate at the urban level was 6.94 percentage point during the last month against 7.28 percentage point in July, while it was 5.76 percentage point against 5.88 percentage point in July in rural areas.
In urban areas, the food inflation came down to 7.56 percentage point in August, down from 7.58 percentage point in July. The non-food inflation rate was 6.26 percentage point in August against 6.96 percentage point in July.
In rural areas, the food inflation also declined to 5.42 percentage point this August, down from 5.43 percentage point compared to the previous month, while the non-food inflation was 6.41 percentage point in August against 6.69 percentage point in July.
Besides, the national wage index rate witnessed a 9.93 percent growth in August with 9414.04 which was 9381.54 point in July.
-SS