Dhaka, July 3 -- Despite a recent marginal dip in the national inflation rate, persistently high prices continue to inflict significant hardship on lower and middle-income households across Bangladesh, severely eroding their purchasing power and forcing many to seek alternative income sources.

The prolonged period of soaring costs has made every essential purchase a test of resilience for families whose incomes often struggle to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

Kawser Mia, a private sector employee in Tejgaon, exemplifies the escalating financial strain. In 2016, he borrowed Tk10 lakh from a bank at an 8 percent interest rate to repair his village home in Mirzapur, Tangail. Today, his loan installment has surged to a daunting 1...