Monthly food cost in Dhaka Tk 9,000, excluding fish, meat: CPD

A recent Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) report shows that excluding fish and meat, the monthly food consumption cost of a family of four in Dhaka city is currently (October 2022) Tk 9,059, which was Tk 6,541 in January 2019.

The CPD report titled “Slowdown in Global Economy and Challenges for Bangladesh: How to Tackle?” thus shows that the cost of food has gone up by 38.49 per cent over the last three years. The report was released Thursday in a press conference at CPD’s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka.

The report also took into account the cost of food including fish and meat, which increased 27.9 per cent over four years.

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Altogether, the average monthly cost of an assortment of 19 common food items (including fish and meat) which make up the regular diet for a family of four in Dhaka city increased from Tk 17,530 in January 2019 to Tk 22,421 in October 2022, the report shows.

In this regard, CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun said that the low- and middle-income people of the country are facing problems due to the pressure of ongoing inflation.

She recommended the removal of advance income tax, advance tax and regulatory duty on the import of the aforementioned essential 19 food items. She also suggested that the Minimum Wage Board should consider raising the minimum wages of workers in all areas to ensure that workers can at least buy essential food items.