Dhaka, Feb. 15 -- Inflation in Bangladesh defies global downturn and local monetary tightening as the January rate peaked at 9.86 per cent by official count.

Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) shows the latest situation with the consumer price index having turned up-as prices hit new highs.

The consumer price index, a broad-based measure of the prices shoppers pay for goods and services across the economy, increased by 0.45-percentage points to 9.86 per cent, according to the BBS disclosure made Thursday.

The rate of urban inflation touched almost double-digit level at 9.99 per cent while it stayed in rural areas at 9.7 per cent.

The national food inflation surged by 9.56 per cent while non-food 9.42 per cent.

Economists see impor...