The general point to point inflation rate declined to 5.35 percentage point in May from 5.96 percentage point in the previous month mainly because of significant fall in prices of food commodities alongside the non-food items. The monthly consumer price index (CPI) was released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) today after the meeting of the ECNEC. Planning Minister MA Mannan briefed reporters about the outcome of the meeting and also about the inflation. He said that the inflation witnessed a downtrend during the general holidays since the supply chain was good as directed by the Prime Minister. “The production of rice, vegetables and other agricultural produces was good,” Mannan said adding that the goods transportation system was normal although the general holidays were in force due to the COVID-19. Answering to a question, BBS Director General Tajul Islam said the inflation trend was a bit high in April, but it came down later following improvement in the supply chain and normalcy in goods transportation. The BBS data showed that food inflation declined to 5.09 percentage point in May down from 5.91 percentage point in the previous month in April, while the non-food inflation rate came down to 5.75 percentage point last month from 6.04 percent in April. The prices of rice, pulses, egg, vegetables, spices including onion, ginger, garlic declined in May comparing to the previous month, said the BBS data. In the rural areas, the general point to inflation rate declined to 5.65 percentage point in May down from 6.08 percentage point in April. In the urban areas, the general point to point inflation rate also declined to 4.81 percentage point in May down from 5.73 percentage point in April.
