The general point-to-point inflation rate declined by 0.23 percentage points to 5.29 per cent in December 2020 from 5.52 per cent in November amid the upward trend of food prices in 2020. Average inflation rose to a three-year high of 5.69 per cent in the just-concluded calendar.
According to Bangladesh Buru of Statistics figures, food inflation declined to 5.34 per cent in December from 5.73 per cent in November as the prices of vegetables, fish, eggs and broiler chicken decreased in the month. Non-food inflation in December increased to 5.21 per cent from 5.19 per cent in November.
Inflation had continued the upward trends between July and October due to a price hike of rice and vegetables in the wake of crops damaged by floods and rains. Food inflation started to decrease since November, bringing down the general inflation. Although the price of rice slightly rose last month, other major food items saw a drop.
In December, coarse rice price rose marginally to Tk52.28 a kg from Tk52.23 a month ago in markets in Dhaka, BBS data showed.
The price of two finer varieties, najershail/minikat and paijam, stood at Tk68.20 and Tk66.30 a kg respectively in contrast to Tk68 and Tk65.68 in November. Prices of both Moongdal and lentil dropped to Tk134.30 and Tk122.50 a kg from Tk135 and Tk125 respectively. The price of onion dropped to Tk 80.70 a kg from Tk 88.21 in November.
The national statistical agency said inflation in rural areas was down 0.45 percentage points at 5.28 per cent from 5.55 per cent in November.
Food inflation dropped 0.81 percentage points to 5.60 per cent, and non-food inflation rose 24 basis points to 4.67 per cent.
Urban inflation declined 44 basis points to 5.31 per cent, led by 1.07 percentage points fall in food inflation, which stood at 4.77 per cent.
Non-food inflation in the urban areas rose 29 basis points to 5.93 per cent in December, BBS data showed.
The government has set a 5.4 per cent inflation target in the current fiscal year.
The moving average inflation increased by 0.10 percentage points to 5.69 per cent in the just concluded 2020 from that of 5.59 per cent in 2019, the BBS data showed.
The point-to-point national wage index increased to 6.15 per cent in December against 6.10 per cent in November.
