The rate of the overall inflation eased further to 9.34 per cent in February with food prices dropping both in rural and urban areas to 11 months low.
The food inflation dropped below the double digit at 9.24 per cent for the first time since March 2024, according to an update on the Consumer Price Index released on Thursday by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.
In the past 10 months, the overall food inflation hovered over the double digit.
It reached maximum 14.10 per cent during August when the supply system was interrupted greatly because of mass uprising brining an abrupt end to the Awami League regime.
The BSS update also showed that the rate of food inflation in rural areas was recorded at 9.5 per cent in February, compared with 10.18 per cent in January.
In urban areas, the BBS recorded food inflation at 9.47 per cent in February down from 10.95 per cent in January mainly due to good supply of winter vegetables despite price hikes of soya bean oil.
The non-food inflation in both rural and urban areas has been remained almost unchanged in February.
The BBS update showed that the overall inflation recorded in February had been lowest in 22 months.
Available data showed that the overall inflation was 9.24 per cent in April 2023.
The interim government assumed power in August is giving emphasis on improving supply situation and the tightening money supply.
On February 9, a finance division report on overall economy submitted to the chief adviser Muhammad Yunus expected that the overall inflation might come down to 8 per cent in June.
The report still identified the inflation among the major economic worries.
The BBS data showed that the average inflation over the past 12 months between March 2024 and February 2025 hovered at 10.30 per cent.
International Monetary Fund, helping the government with a $4.7 billion loan programme to improve the macroeconomic indicators left by the AL regime in a bad shape, projected that the overall inflation would stay at 11 per cent in FY 25, to be ended in the upcoming June.
It however, said the inflation would drop at 5 per cent in FY26.