Overall inflation is now more or less stable: Finance Adviser
Published: 16 September 2025, 2:55:40
The overall inflation of the country is now more or less stable as the non-food inflation rate has declined, said Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed on Tuesday.
“We’re now in a bit more comfortable position as our trade gap with the USA is narrowing, although it is around $125 billion for Vietnam,” he said, adding that time will tell what the implications will be.
Adviser Salehuddin said this emerging from a meeting of Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase and Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs at the Secretariat.
When asked about the outcomes of the current visit of the USTR delegation to Bangladesh, he said the issue lies with the Commerce Ministry, especially as emphasis is being given to minimizing the existing trade gap between Bangladesh and the USA by importing more items from the USA.
Replying to another question, the Adviser said that importing more goods from the USA may increase the import cost, but quality definitely matters here.
Citing an example, he said that importing wheat from the USA may increase the cost, but its quality is definitely better. “But, on the whole, we need to import a bit more from the USA to minimize the trade gap.”
Dr Salehuddin told another questioner that this move would not impact the country’s overall exports or inflation.
”We have been providing support through agencies like TCB. Despite increased imports inflation has not spiked significantly. Wholesale and retail markets often behave beyond economic logic but overall, non-food inflation has already declined.”
”If someone’s salary is Tk 10,000 food expenses are one part of their burden but transport and other costs also matter. If transport costs and house rent ease, that too benefits households,” he explained.
About economists’ repeated warnings that unemployment in Bangladesh has reached “epidemic” proportions, the Finance Adviser dismissed the characterisation as exaggerated though he admitted there are challenges.
Employment creation is mostly driven by the private sector and if f business slows, it naturally affects jobs,Dr Salehuddin added.
