Commerce Minister Khondoker Abdul Muktadir has revealed that Bangladesh incurred a trade deficit with 58 countries across the globe in the recently concluded fiscal year (2025–26). As in previous years, the largest deficits remain with China and India.

The minister noted that the country's bilateral trade deficit is heavily concentrated among a few major trading partners. This imbalance is primarily driven by a structural dependence on imports for essential industrial raw materials, fuel products, and capital machinery.

He shared these statistics on Tuesday (June 23) in the National Parliament during the budget session, in response to a written question from Member of Parliament Sabikun Nahar.

According to data presented by the Commerce Minister in parliament, Bangladesh’s single largest trade deficit is with China, amounting to $17.87 billion.

The main driver of this massive deficit is the heavy import of heavy machinery, electronics, industrial raw materials, and capital goods from China.

In contrast, Bangladesh’s exports to China during the same fiscal year stood at a mere $694.49 million.

Neighboring India ranks second on the trade deficit list. Bangladesh's trade deficit with India has reached $7.86 billion.

During this period, Bangladesh exported goods worth only $1.76 billion to India, while a massive influx of imports—including cotton, chemicals, food products, and consumer goods—widened the gap.

The Commerce Minister further stated that Bangladesh’s trade deficit with Southeast Asian nations is also highly significant, reflecting a heavy reliance on imports of intermediate goods and industrial raw materials from the region.

Within this bloc, Bangladesh recorded its highest deficit with Indonesia, at $3.59 billion. This is followed by Singapore with a deficit of $2.80 billion, and Malaysia at $2.01 billion.

Significant trade deficits were also recorded with two other regional countries, Vietnam and Thailand, amounting to $799.74 million and $723.85 million, respectively.

Bangladesh has also suffered major trade deficits with fuel-exporting countries in the Middle East. Among them, the deficit with Qatar stands at $2.11 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia at $1.36 billion, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at $1.19 billion, and Oman at $219.66 million.

Among the advanced economies of East Asia, Bangladesh faces a trade deficit of $803.98 million with Taiwan, $740.02 million with South Korea, $489.30 million with Japan, and $199.35 million with Hong Kong. Within South Asia, the trade deficit with Pakistan stands at $681.30 million.

In Europe and the Eurasian region, Bangladesh is grappling with deficits of $1.26 billion with Russia and $414.39 million with Switzerland.

Among South American nations, the largest deficit is with Brazil at $2.45 billion, followed by Argentina at $763.13 million and Paraguay at $83.70 million.

Khondoker Abdul Muktadir added that while the overall volume of trade with African nations remains relatively small, the deficit footprint is quite broad.

Trade deficits were recorded with Morocco at $511.95 million, Benin at $464.75 million, Cameroon at $272.31 million, Mali at $247.11 million, Burkina Faso at $195.07 million, Mozambique at $97.43 million, and Nigeria at $91.88 million.

Furthermore, in the Oceania region, Bangladesh's trade deficit stands at $320.19 million with Australia and $297.97 million with New Zealand.