Foreign currency reserves in Bangladesh have risen to nearly $27 billion as of mid-April, according to the latest report from Bangladesh Bank. However, under the IMF's BPM6 accounting method, the official reserve figure stands at $21.40 billion.
Data from April 17 shows that the country's gross reserves reached $26.73 billion. In contrast, the BPM6-compliant figure, which excludes certain liabilities, places the reserves at $21.39 billion.
There's also a separate IMF-specific calculation that excludes funds like Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), foreign currency used for clearing, and ACU payments. Under this method, Bangladesh's usable reserves are estimated to be close to $16 billion.
To meet the minimum international standards, a country should hold reserves sufficient for at least three months of imports. Bangladesh currently holds enough to cover more than that period. Net reserves, calculated by subtracting short-term liabilities from gross reserves, follow the IMF's BPM6 guidelines.
The recent rise in reserves is largely fueled by strong remittance inflows. In just the first 12 days of April, Bangladesh received $1.05 billion in remittances. March set a new monthly record, with remittances hitting $3.29 billion —the highest in the country's history.
In the current 2024–25 fiscal year, remittance figures have been robust each month:
- July: $1.91 billion
- August: $2.22 billion
- September: $2.40 billion
- October: $2.39 billion
- November: $2.20 billion
- December: $2.64 billion
- January: $2.19 billion
- February: $2.53 billion
- March: $3.29 billion
Since the interim government took office, monthly remittance inflows have consistently exceeded $2 billion for seven consecutive months, significantly strengthening the country's reserve position.
