Inflation slightly decreases in Dec

The general inflation rate slightly came down to 5.35 per cent in December 2018 from 5.37 per cent in the previous month (November), thanks to the slight fall in both food and non-food inflations, reports UNB.

"The general point-to-point inflation rate slightly eased to 5.35 percentage point in December last," said planning minister MA Mannan on Tuesday releasing the monthly consumer price index.

The new planning minister also disclosed that the implementation rate of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) during the first half (July 2018-Dec 2018) of the current fiscal year was 27.45 per cent with an overall expenditure of Tk 496.45 billion.

But the ADP implementation rate in the first half (July 2017-December 2017) of the last fiscal year was 27.02 per cent with an overall expenditure of Tk 443.31 billion.

The minister said the ADP implementation rate could have been higher than 27.45 per cent in the first half of the 2018-19 fiscal year unless there was no bar to fund release during the last general election held on 30 December.

According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data, the food inflation declined to 5.28 per cent in December 2018 from 5.29 per cent in November 2018.

The non-food inflation rate also decreased slightly to 5.45 per cent in December 2018, which was 5.49 per cent in November 2018.