Dhaka, Feb. 11 -- The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has expressed concerns over Bangladesh Bank's decision to maintain a contractionary monetary policy for the second half of the 2024-25 fiscal year, keeping the policy rate at 10 percent.

The chamber stated that while the policy aims to curb inflation, its rigid stance hampers private sector credit growth and economic expansion. It pointed out that the private sector relies heavily on banks for investment, and high interest rates increase production costs, further fuelling inflation.

Although inflation eased to 9.94% in January 2025 from 10.89% in December 2024, it remains above the desired level. The DCCI also raised concerns about the decision to maintain the private s...