Dhaka, March 12 -- Bangladesh's inflation has posted a 8.78 percent rise in February compared with the rate in the same period last year after falling for six months from a decade-high of 9.84 percent.

Data published by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics on Sunday showed rural areas were hit harder by the rise than in the cities. The rate was 8.80 percent in the rural areas and 8.75 percent in the cities.

Food inflation was 8.13 percent, up from 7.76 percent in the previous month.

Non-food inflation, however, fell to 9.82 percent from 9.84 percent in January.

In January, general inflation fell to 8.57 percent from 8.71 percent.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, State...