United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s point-to-point inflation rose to 9.13 percent in February, up from 8.58 percent in January due to a sharp increase in food prices, according to the latest data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Food inflation climbed to 9.30 percent in February, compared with 8.29 percent a month earlier. Non-food inflation also rose slightly to 9.01 percent, up from 8.81 percent in January. Inflation remained higher in rural areas than in urban centres, reflecting continued pressure on food prices outside major cities. In rural areas, overall inflation increased to 9.21 percent in February, from 8.63 percent in January, though it was lower than 9.51 percent recorded in February last year. Rural food inflation rose to 9.07 percent, up from 8.18 percent in January, while rural non-food inflation increased to 9.34 percent, compared with 9.04 percent a month earlier. In urban areas, overall inflation rose to 9.07 percent in February, up from 8.57 percent in January. Urban food prices saw a sharper increase, with food inflation jumping to 9.87 percent, significantly higher than 8.61 percent in the previous month, indicating stronger price pressure in city markets. However, non-food inflation in urban areas remained relatively stable at 8.57 percent, slightly higher than 8.54 percent in January. Despite the month-on-month increase, the annual average inflation rate has eased significantly. The 12-month moving average inflation from March 2025 to February 2026 stood at 8.65 percent, down from 10.31 percent during the same period a year earlier, suggesting that overall price pressures have moderated compared with last year. Meanwhile, wage growth continued to lag behind inflation, raising concerns about declining purchasing power for workers. The national wage rate index increased by 8.06 percent in February on a point-to-point basis, slightly lower than 8.08 percent in January and 8.12 percent in February 2025. Sector-wise wage growth in February was 8.10 percent in agriculture, 7.99 percent in industry, and 8.20 percent in services. According to BBS, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February was calculated based on data collected from 154 markets across all 64 districts of the country. Overall, the data indicate that inflationary pressure persists despite a gradual improvement in the annual average, with rising food prices continuing to drive the cost of living for consumers.