<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Despite the government's drive to rein in the prices of essentials, overall inflation increased by 23 basis points to 9.92 percent, while food inflation rose to 12.54 percent in August.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>During the last two months, both food and non-food inflation reached the highest level in August, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) latest inflation data, released on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>After decreasing inflation slightly in the last two months, food inflation in the country increased in August. In this month, overall food price inflation has been 12.54 percent. In July it was 9.76 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>However, although the overall non-food price inflation in July was 9.47 percent; it fell to 7.95 percent in August.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, overall inflation in rural areas rose to 9.98 percent in August. Among them, food inflation is 12.71 percent and non-food inflation is 7.38 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>August inflation of 9.92 percent means that a person, who used to buy goods and services for 100 taka in August 2022, has spent Tk109.92 to buy the same product in August this year.</div><div><br></div><div>That is, the cost has increased by Tk9.92 in the space of one year. Inflation is like a tax that burdens everyone, rich and poor alike, analysts said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the updated data of BBS, food price inflation in rural areas was 12.71 percent in August, and food price inflation in urban areas stood at 12.11 percent. In both cases, food inflation was below 10 percent in July. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>