Staff Correspondent:

After a brief respite in September, food inflation in Bangladesh surged to 12.66% in October, marking a significant increase.

This means consumers are now spending an additional Tk 12.66 for every Tk 100 spent on food compared to the previous year.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) released updated Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on Thursday (November 7).

The data shows that prices for essentials such as rice, pulses, oil, salt, fish, meat, vegetables, spices, and tobacco products have spiked, pushing food inflation up from 10.40% last month.

Overall inflation in October was recorded at 10.87%, compared to 9.92% in the previous month. However, slight price decreases were observed in housing, furniture, home appliances, medical services, transportation, and educational materials, bringing non-food inflation down to 9.34% from 9.50% last month.

Food inflation had previously peaked at 14.10% in July due to nationwide protests, which disrupted supply chains and isolated Dhaka from the rest of the country. August saw food inflation rise to 12.54%, the highest in 12 years. The last time food inflation was this high was in October 2011, at 12.82%.

The current inflation trends highlight an ongoing challenge for consumers, with food prices particularly impacted by supply issues and demand pressures.