& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Inflation shoots up by 46pc in a month

Rising food price blamed

Rejaui. Karim Byron
Inflation rate on point-to-point basis has increased by 46 percent in a month and stood at 6.71 percent in October mainly because of rising food price.
In September, the inflation rate was 4.60 percent. According to statistics of Bangladesh Bureau ofStatistics (BBS), the food inflation in urban areas has reached near about double digit.
Economists and development partners said it is not yet alarming but the government would have to be cautious so that the rate does not go further up as the poor people are most hurt by the inflation.
According to the BBS statistics, the inflation rate for both food and non-food
items has increased. Compared to September food inflation rose by 56 percent in October and the inflation became 7.78 percent, which was 4.98 percent in September.
Non-food inflation rate rose by 18 percent and stood at 5.07 percent in October, which was 4.28 percent in September.
Food inflation rose at higher rate in urban areas than in rural areas. In October, urban food inflation was 9 percent, which was 7.26 percent in rural areas.
During the immediate past caretaker government, the inflation rate crossed double digit. But after the present government assumed power, it started to fall and in June the inflation fell down to 2.25
percent. But since July it started increasing slowly every month.
Recent food inflation is caused by both national and international factors. India has been for the first time in 21 years importing rice as drought damaged paddy in that country.
On the other hand two consecutive cyclones in the Philippines destroyed rice crop. As a result, the Philippines is also importing rice. These factors have pushed the rice price up in world market.
In Bangladesh drought damaged Aus crop and delayed rainfall is most likely to cause lower Aman harvest. Already rice price has started increasing in local markets in last one month.
According to TCB report published
FROM PAGE 1 yesterday coarse rice price jumped up by 3 to 9 percent over one month.
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Senior Research Fellow Zaid Bakht said the inflation rate is not yet worrisome. But if it goes up further it would become a big challenge for die government's macro-economic management.
International food price is on the rise. Inside the country the Aus and aman harvest did not meet expectations. Besides, the government has announced new pay scale for the public servants, which would produce inflationary pressure.
Bakht also said the government would have to maintain smooth supply of inputs so that next boro crop is better. The government will also have to closely monitor the world market to build up food crop stock if the price increases internationally.
ADB in its quarterly update released yesterday said though the inflation is still low compared with previous years, price pressures are again building. Inflation over the next few months will depend on how the various underlying factors play out
It said rising commodity prices in the international market along with the rising food prices in India because of the shortfall in crop production might create pressure on domestic food prices.
The ADB quarterly also said excess liquidity in the banking system because of lower investment demand and likely depreciation in taka exchange rate may also push up inflation rate.