Khasru tells Parliament coordinated measures lowering price pressures, though global risks remain

BSS:

Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Tuesday informed Parliament that inflationary pressure in the country has been gradually declining due to a series of coordinated measures taken by the government, although challenges remain amid global uncertainties.

Responding to a scripted question from a ruling party lawmaker, Md Abul Kalam (Comilla-9), during the day’s question-answer session in the House, the minister acknowledged that Bangladesh had been experiencing high inflation for several years, which adversely affected people’s purchasing power.

He said that since fiscal year 2022–23, the country has faced persistent inflationary pressure. Food inflation, which stood at 14.10% in July 2024, has significantly decreased to 8.24% in March 2026.

Highlighting the steps taken to curb inflation, the minister said Bangladesh Bank has maintained the policy interest rate at 10% to contain excess demand and ensure macroeconomic stability.

He also noted that the government has strengthened efforts to maintain the supply of food and essential commodities through increased imports, stock management, and market monitoring.

As of April 13, 2026, Khasru said the government imported 400,000 tons of rice and 608,000 tons of wheat, while private sector imports reached 734,000 tons of rice and 6.16 million tons of wheat. “Public food grain stocks stood at 1.863 million tons on the same date,” he said.

To ease the cost burden on low and lower-middle-income groups, he said the government has continued and expanded social safety net programmes, including family cards, allowances, and food assistance initiatives.

In the current fiscal year (2025–26), a total of 95 social safety net programmes are being implemented with an allocation of Tk1,16,731 crore.

The minister further said that agricultural support measures, including irrigation and input assistance, have been intensified to ensure stable food production and supply.

“A new family card system is being gradually expanded, while a farmer card programme has been launched on a pilot basis from Pahela Baishakh.” He said.

To address external sector pressures, Khasru said the government has continued a market-based exchange rate regime and strengthened foreign exchange reserve management. As of March 2026, the country’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $34.12 billion.

Due to these combined efforts, he said, overall inflation has shown a downward trend, declining from 9.13% in February 2026 to 8.71% in March 2026.

However, the minister cautioned that evolving global conditions could create renewed pressure, and the government will continue its efforts to keep inflation at a tolerable level.