Households struggle as daily costs outpace earnings

Across the country, families are feeling the sting of soaring inflation. The cost of daily goods has surged, leaving household expenses unmatched by stagnant incomes. 

In October, food inflation rose sharply to 12.75%, while wages increased by only 8.07%, creating a widening gap between what people earn and what they spend. 

For many, this has made it increasingly difficult to cover even basic necessities.

New data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), released Thursday (November 7), reveals that rural areas are feeling the impact of inflation more acutely than urban centers. 

While food inflation in cities hit 12.53% last month, the rate in villages was even higher, 12.75%, putting rural communities at a greater disadvantage.

General inflation in rural areas rose to 11.26%, compared to 10.44% in urban areas. The non-food sector inflation rate in rural areas also reached 9.76%, higher than the urban rate of 9.06%. 

This disparity means that rural households, who largely rely on agriculture, face higher prices on food essentials like rice, pulses, oil, salt, fish, meat, vegetables, spices, and tobacco products—costs that now outpace their modest earnings.

Wages across sectors have not kept pace with inflation. Agricultural workers saw only a slight rise in the wage index, moving from 8.28% in September to 8.32% in October. 

In the industrial sector, the wage index ticked up to 7.69% from 7.61%, while service sector workers experienced an increase to 8.37% from 8.29%. 

Despite these marginal gains, wages still lag behind soaring prices, exacerbating the struggle for daily essentials.

The recent jump in food costs follows a brief reprieve in September, with households now paying an additional Tk 12.66 for every Tk 100 spent on food compared to a year ago. BBS data highlights that the prices of key staples—rice, pulses, oil, salt, fish, meat, vegetables, and spices—have all surged. 

The food inflation rate, previously at 10.40% in September, continues to climb, creating an unsustainable financial strain for families across Bangladesh.

As inflation grips both urban and rural areas, the situation is particularly dire in villages, where the limited economic structure and dependency on agriculture mean fewer buffers against rising costs. 

For many, rising inflation has turned everyday purchases into burdens, casting a shadow over household budgets in every corner of the country.