Desk Report:
After reviewing the country’s recent macroeconomic situation, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of Bangladesh Bank has decided not to make any changes to the existing policy interest rate for the time being. Simultaneously, the committee will monitor the impact of various domestic and international shocks, particularly their effects on GDP growth and consumer inflation.
This decision was reached during the 14th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee, held on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) at the conference room of Bangladesh Bank’s head office, presided over by Governor Md. Mostakur Rahman, FCMA.
Participants in the meeting included Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman, economist Dr. Mustafa Kamal Mujeri, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque, Chairperson of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka Dr. Firdousi Nahar, and the Executive Director in charge of the Monetary Policy Department, Dr. Imam Abu Sayed. Additionally, Dr. Mohammad Monirul Islam Sarkar, Member-Secretary of the MPC and Director of the Monetary Policy Department, was present at the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the recent domestic and global macroeconomic situation. It was observed that headline inflation in the country is showing a downward trend. However, inflation remains above the government’s target of 7.50 percent set for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The Monetary Policy Committee noted that fuel oil prices in the international market remain volatile. Uncertainty in the fuel market persists due to the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Furthermore, the government revised fuel prices towards the end of September. The meeting also observed that the implementation of a new pay scale could pose a risk of creating additional inflationary pressure.
Given these circumstances, the MPC decided to further monitor the impact of these domestic and international shocks before altering the existing policy interest rate. Specifically, the committee will evaluate how these situations are affecting the country’s GDP growth and consumer inflation. According to the Monetary Policy Committee’s observations, while the downward trend in inflation persists, factors such as fuel prices, the conflict in the Middle East, and the new pay scale could exert pressure on inflation in the future. Decisions regarding the policy interest rate will be made after considering the impact of these risks.
