Country’s forex reserves cross USD 33b after three years

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s gross foreign exchange reserves crossed USD 33 billion for the first time in three years since the fiscal year 2021-22, a sign of the country's increasing capacity to cover import bills for a longer period.

Readily usable reserves, as per the calculation method of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stood at USD 28.51 billion on December 30, 2025, up from a week earlier, said Bangladesh Bank (BB).

It means that Bangladesh can cover import payments for more than five months. The country's monthly import bill is more than USD 5.50 billion, according to BB data.

Forex reserves, which had crossed USD 48 billion in August 2021, began to fall amid pent-up demand for imports following the removal of Covid restrictions and rising commodity prices in the global market after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In May 2024, overall dollar stock holdings stood at USD 24 billion, raising concerns about the country's capacity to clear international payment obligations.

The turnaround in forex reserves began after the fall of the Awami League government in August last year, as remittance inflow increased.

BB, which had earlier sold the greenback to support the value of the taka, began purchasing US dollars from banks at the start of the current fiscal year (2025–26) to curb the depreciation of the greenback.

So far, BB has bought USD 3 billion in this fiscal year.

During the July-November period, remittance inflow grew 17 percent year on year to USD 13 billion. Export growth was slightly higher, while imports also gained pace, according to official data.