Inflation rises to 5.93% in October-December quarter

The overall inflation rate during the October-December quarter of the fiscal year 2017-18 stood at 5.93% from 5.86% of the July-September quarter. Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal disclosed it while addressing a press briefing in the National Economic Council conference room on Tuesday. According to data compiled by the planning commission, inflation rate in rural areas was measured at 5.97% during the October-December quarter of the current fiscal year, while in urban areas, it decreased to 5.86%. Inflation rate in rural areas was measured at 4.69% during the corresponding period of FY2016-17. On the other hand, the rate in urban areas decreased from 6.50% in the October-December quarter of FY 2016-17 to 5.86% in the corresponding period of FY2017-18. The data also shows that prices of food items such as egg, fish, meat, pulses dropped, while house rents and costs of clothing, household goods, medical and transportation services, and education increased.