Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have climbed to a three-year high, crossing the $33 billion mark, driven by strong remittance inflows and continued dollar purchases by the central bank.
According to the latest Bangladesh Bank data, expatriate Bangladeshis sent $3.04 billion in remittances during the first 29 days of December 2025.
The surge has significantly eased pressure on the dollar market and helped stabilise the country’s external sector.
Gross foreign exchange reserves now stand at $33.18 billion, the highest level since 2022.
In contrast, reserves had fallen to $25.58 billion during the political transition in August 2024.
Under IMF’s Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6) methodology, reserves are currently calculated at $28.51 billion, up from $20.47 billion earlier.
Bangladesh’s reserves first crossed the $33 billion threshold in 2017 and later reached a historic peak of $48 billion in 2021 before entering a period of decline.
To strengthen reserves and maintain market stability, Bangladesh Bank has so far purchased more than $3.13 billion from commercial banks, including over $1 billion in December alone.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H. Mansur recently expressed optimism about the outlook, saying reserves are expected to rise to between $34 billion and $35 billion by the end of December.
“We are building reserves by purchasing dollars from our internal economy instead of relying on external borrowing from the IMF or other agencies,” the governor said, describing the approach as a sustainable and positive step for the country’s long-term financial stability.
SH
