Bangladesh’s annual inflation rate eased to 8.71% in March 2026, down from February’s ten-month high of 9.13%. The earlier spike had been fueled by rising food costs ahead of Ramadan and increased election-related spending.
In March, price pressures eased notably for:
- Food and non-alcoholic beverages: 8.24% (down from 9.30% in February)
- Miscellaneous goods and services: 22.34% (down from 24.04%)
- Clothing and footwear: 9.59% (down from 11.03%)
At the same time, inflation picked up in several other categories:
- Transportation: 7.47% (up from 6.65%)
- Housing and utilities: 8.43% (slightly up from 8.42%)
- Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics: 9.69% (up from 8.43%)
- Communication: 8.65% (up from 8.13%)
- Education: 8.32% (up from 7.54%)
- Furnishings, household equipment, and routine maintenance: 6.15% (up from 6.02%)
- Restaurants and hotels: 10.38% (up from 9.93%)
- Health: 3.69% (up from 3.66%)
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.89% in March, the fastest increase in five months, following a 0.36% gain in February.