Dhaka: The upward trajectory of remittances sent by Bangladeshi expatriates has persisted into the new year, with the country receiving over $1.59 billion in the first 13 days of January.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the nation received $17.85 billion in inward remittances from July to January 13, 2026, during the current fiscal year, FY 2025-26. This marks a significant increase from the $14.7 billion recorded during the same period of the previous fiscal year, FY 2024-25, reflecting a growth rate of 21.5 percent.
The influx of remittances has positively impacted Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves, which have now surpassed $33 billion. As per the International Monetary Fund’s standard BPM6, the reserves stand at over $29 billion.
Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, confirmed the receipt of $1.59 billion in remittances in the first 13 days of January 2026. This is a substantial increase from the $926 million recorded during the same period in January 2025, indicating a growth of 71.8 percent.
The remarkable growth in remittances is attributed to several factors, including incentives for sending money through legal banking channels, increased encouragement for using the formal system, and the active role of exchange houses.
In the fiscal year 2025-26, Bangladesh saw monthly remittances of $2.47 billion in July, $2.42 billion in August, $2.68 billion in September, $2.56 billion in October, $2.88 billion in November, and $3.22 billion in December. The average inward remittance flow over the past six months stood at over $2.42 billion.
This robust flow of remittances has influenced Bangladeshi policymakers to reconsider borrowing from the IMF, which often comes with stringent conditions.