Dhaka:The country's GDP growth accelerated to 3.68 percent in the 2025-26 fiscal year, largely due to improved performances in the industrial and services sectors during the fourth quarter, based on provisional estimates from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).
According to United News of Bangladesh, GDP growth at constant prices reached 4.60 percent in the fourth quarter of FY26, a significant increase from 2.05 percent in the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. In the first three quarters of FY26, GDP growth figures were recorded at 4.96 percent, 3.03 percent, and 2.22 percent, respectively. These figures compare to 3.91 percent, 3.53 percent, and 4.53 percent in the corresponding quarters of FY25.
At current prices, the GDP size was Tk 16,116.743 billion in the fourth quarter of FY26, up from Tk 14,385.272 billion in the same quarter of FY25. The industrial sector led the growth among the three major sectors, expanding by 6.52 percent at constant prices in the fourth quarter, compared to a minor increase of 0.92 percent in the same period of the previous year.
However, the industrial growth was inconsistent throughout the year, with rates of 6.82 percent in the first quarter, 1.27 percent in the second quarter, and a contraction of 0.28 percent in the third quarter of FY26. In contrast, FY25 saw industrial growth at 4.80 percent, 5.78 percent, and 3.33 percent in its first three quarters, respectively.
The services sector experienced a growth of 4.28 percent in the fourth quarter of FY26, compared to 2.26 percent in the same quarter of the previous fiscal year. For the first three quarters of FY26, services growth was 4.51 percent, 4.45 percent, and 3.52 percent, compared to 4.49 percent, 3.48 percent, and 7.32 percent in FY25.
The agriculture sector experienced slower growth, recording 1.73 percent in the fourth quarter of FY26, down from 3.19 percent in the same quarter of FY25. For the first three quarters of FY26, agricultural growth was 2.11 percent, 3.68 percent, and 1.74 percent, compared to -0.12 percent, 1.90 percent, and 4.61 percent in the corresponding quarters of FY25.
Provisional figures indicate that the economy gained momentum in the final quarter of FY26, primarily due to a stronger industrial sector and improved growth in services.