Food inflation in Bangladesh fell to 8.93% in March, down from 9.24% in February, marking a continued decline in food prices, according to data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Tuesday (8 April).
However, after three consecutive months of decline, general inflation saw a slight rise in March, increasing to 9.35% from 9.32% in February.
Non-food inflation contributed to the uptick, climbing to 9.70% in March from 9.38% in the previous month. This contrasts with food inflation, which has been steadily decreasing since December 2024.
In February, general inflation reached its lowest level in 22 months, dropping to 9.32%—a significant improvement from 12.92% in December and 13.8% in November. This marked the second instance in five months when inflation fell to single digits, the last being in September 2024, when it stood at 9.92%.
Food inflation, in particular, has seen notable relief. February recorded a single-digit food inflation rate of 9.24% after 10 months of double-digit rates, a sharp decline from 10.72% in January. From April 2024 to January 2025, the country struggled with persistently high food inflation, peaking during the double-digit period.
Non-food inflation, however, has shown a contrasting trend, with February’s rate of 9.38% slightly higher than January’s 9.32%.
Economists attribute the recent easing of inflationary pressures to seasonal factors and the effects of monetary policies. However, concerns persist regarding the sustainability of these improvements, particularly with non-food inflation showing signs of resurgence.
