Bangladesh’s point-to-point inflation rose slightly to 8.36 percent in September, up from 8.29 percent in August, according to data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Monday.

The figure, while lower than the 9.92 percent recorded in the same month last year, marks the continuation of a prolonged period of high inflation that has persisted since August 2022.

Food and non-food prices both on the rise

The BBS report showed modest increases in both food and non-food inflation:

Food inflation rose to 7.64%, up from 7.60% in August.

Non-food inflation increased to 8.98%, up from 8.90%.

In comparison, a year earlier, food inflation was at 10.40% and non-food inflation stood at 9.50%, indicating a relative easing over the 12-month period but still high by historical standards.

Rural areas face more inflationary pressure than urban zones

Rural households continue to experience higher inflation than their urban counterparts:

Rural inflation climbed to 8.47% in September (from 8.39% in August), compared to 10.15% in September last year.

Rural food inflation: 7.54%

Rural non-food inflation: 9.40%

Urban inflation edged up to 8.28% (from 8.24% in August).

Urban food inflation: 7.94%

Urban non-food inflation: 8.51%

Wage growth continues to lag behind rising prices

Amid persistent inflation, wage growth slipped to 8.02% in September, down from 8.15% in August, and only marginally higher than 8.01% a year earlier.

This marks the 44th consecutive month that wage growth has failed to keep up with inflation, underscoring the growing pressure on household purchasing power, especially for low- and fixed-income groups.

Although the year-on-year inflation rate has cooled slightly from 2024 levels, the continued rise in both food and non-food prices, coupled with lagging wages, raises concerns about the real economic strain on Bangladeshi consumers.

Economists warn that unless inflation is brought under tighter control or wage growth accelerates, the gap between income and living costs could widen further — potentially affecting consumption, savings, and overall economic stability.