United News of Bangladesh

The upward trend in inward remittances continued and 56.3 percent growth in January, with receiving over US $1.86 billion in 17 days of the month. Bangladesh received $18.12 billion in inward remittances from July to January 17, 2026, in the current fiscal year FY 2025-26. It was 14.96 billion in the same period of the previous FY2024-25, and saw a growth of 21.1 percent. Read more: Stocks surge at DSE, CSE on strong buying as week opens Blessed by strong remittances, Bangladesh’s gross forex reserves have surpassed $33 billion, up from $29 billion under the IMF’s BPM6 standard. Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, said the expatriates have sent $1.86 billion in the first 17 days of January 2026, which was $1.19 million in the same period of January 2025. It means the remittance earnings grew by 56.3 percent in this time. The growth is attributed to several factors, including incentives offered for sending money through legal banking channels, increased encouragement for using the formal system, and the active role of exchange houses. In FY2025-26, Bangladesh received $2.47 billion in remittances 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. Read more: NBR launches automated system easing compliance for importers This data revealed that the average inward remittance flow was over $2.42 billion in the last six months. This robust flow of remittance influences Bangladeshi policymakers to discourage lending from the IMF with tough conditions.

The remittance from Bangladeshi expatriates continued its upward momentum in January, with the country receiving more than US$1.12 billion in the first 10 days of the month. Bangladesh received $17.39 billion in inward remittances from July to January 10, 2026, in the current fiscal year, FY 2025-26. It was 14.49 billion in the same period of the previous FY2024-25, saw a growth of 20 percent. Blessings on the remittance, the gross forex reserves of Bangladesh cross $33 billion. As per the IMF standard BPM6, the forex reserves stood at $29 billion plus. Read more: Remittance inflow exceeds $632 million in first six days of December Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank (BB), said the expatriates have sent $1.12 billion in the first 10 days of January 2026, which was $7.17 million in the same period of January 2025. It means the remittance earnings grew by 57.2 percent in this time. The growth is attributed to several factors, including incentives offered for sending money through legal banking channels, increased encouragement for using the formal system, and the active role of exchange houses. In the FY2025-26, Bangladesh received $2.47 billion in remittances 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 data showed an average inward remittance of over $2.42 billion in the past six months, prompting Bangladeshi policymakers to favour remittance inflows over borrowing from the IMF with stringent conditions. Read more: Remittance fighters deserve more than just appreciation: Singer Asif Akbar

Bangladesh Bank has directed all banks to ensure that inward remittances are credited to customers’ accounts on the same day they are received, in a major move to improve service for expatriates and their families. The central bank issued a circular on Thursday (January 08, 2026), saying the directive aims to reduce delays, enhance efficiency in the payment process and improve the overall quality of customer service. According to the circular, the new instructions will take effect immediately. However, banks have been given time until March, 2026 to fully put in place the required technical infrastructure. Read more: Forex reserves hit 3-year high as December remittances cross $3bn Under the new guidelines, remittances received during banking hours must be credited on the same working day, while those received after banking hours must be credited no later than the next working day. To speed up processing, Bangladesh Bank advised banks to adopt Straight-Through Processing (STP) or other risk-based expedited methods. If essential information is available, banks are encouraged to credit the funds first and complete the remaining documentation or verification formalities later. In cases where post-credit review is not possible, banks must complete verification and settle the transaction within a maximum of three working days. To improve transparency, the central bank has also made it mandatory to use a Unique End-to-End Transaction Reference (UETR), which will allow digital tracking of remittances from receipt to final credit. In addition, Bangladesh Bank plans to strengthen digital foreign currency platforms to gradually eliminate manual paperwork, including Form C and Form C (ICT). The business community has welcomed the initiative, saying it will boost customer confidence and align Bangladesh’s remittance system with global best practices. Read more: Remittances hit $2.93 billion in 28 days of December Arif Hossain Kahan, Executive Director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, said the move is a positive step towards modernisation. “There are many operational challenges during the transition but the focus on digital tracking and faster settlement is essential for the future of our economy,” he said.

Bangladesh received inward remittances of USD $2.16 billion in February, which is the highest in 8 months (July-February) in the current fiscal year 2023-24. According to the provisional data of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) revealed on Sunday, the expatriates sent $2.16 billion remittance to the country through the legal channel. In the previous month January, the expatriates had sent $2.10 billion in remittances. Bangladesh has received so far $13.26 billion in inward remittances in the first eight months of the year through the legal channel. Md Mezbaul Haque, BB spokesperson, told UNB that inward remittances flow increased in the legal channel as the government and banks are providing incentives. Read more: Brac Bank introduces digital Form C, electronic document submission platform for commercial remittances He said the central bank instructed banks to provide additional incentives from their financial sources, which keeps a role in increasing the flow of inward remittances in the legal channel. With the government's 2.5 percent incentive on expatriate income, banks can buy dollars at an additional 2.5 percent higher price. A total of 5 percent is getting incentives. As a result, remittances are coming to the country through legal channels. The executive director of the private research institute South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) Prof Dr. Selim Raihan said that a total of 5 percent incentive on remittances will help to boost remittances temporarily. But there will be no long-term solution. Dr. Raihan said,”To increase remittances, hundi should be stopped. If you want to stop hundi, you have to stop money laundering. Now a lot of money is being smuggled abroad. It has to be controlled by any means.”  Read more: How to safely send remittance to Bangladesh?

Bangladesh received USD $1.70 billion inward remittance in December 2022 through the banking channel, up by 4.23 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. In November, the expatriates sent home $1.59 billion through the legal channel, according to Bangladesh Bank an updated report released on Sunday. The central bank has been trying to increase inward remittance flow through banking channels by offering incentives and higher exchange rates of the US dollar. Read: BB moves to encourage greater flow of remittance to boost forex A review of the remittance flow showed that the total remittance received in the first 6 months of the fiscal year 2022-23 (July- December) was $ 10.49 billion. In the same period of the previous financial year, the expatriates sent $10.24 billion in remittances. Accordingly, in the first 6 months of this fiscal year, Bangladesh received $287 million more in remittances. The BB spokesperson Mesbaul Haque told UNB that in order to increase remittance inflow, the central bank has increased the exchange rate of US dollar. Read: Bangladesh received $357.76mn remittance in first week of Oct In addition to a 2.5 percent hassle-free incentive for remittance, several banks also provide additional incentives to attract foreign exchange, he said. Banks will not cut any charge or fee for sending remittances in the legal channel, he said. Research by Bangladesh Bank found that more than 40 percent of remittance of expatriate income is sent in the country through hundi or unofficial channel. Read More: Banks to stop charging any fees for handling remittances

The remittance inflow moved slightly upward in the first 25 days of this August as Bangladeshi expatriates sent out more than $1.72 billion through the official banking channels, according to data submitted to the Bangladesh Bank by different banks. Bangladesh received $2.92 billion inward remittances in July, thanks to Eid-ul-Azha when Bangladeshis living abroad sent more money to families to celebrate one of the biggest festivals for Muslims. The expatriates sent $1.81 billion in remittances in August of the last fiscal year. Also read: Bangladesh receives $2.09 billion remittance in July; highest in 14 months Amid declining foreign exchange reserves due to rising import bills, many private sector banks are now bringing home more remittances than the public sector ones. Different private banks are buying dollars at a higher rate than state-owned ones, which is helping them attract more remittances. From 1 to 25 August, Islami Bank received $356.23 million, Agrani Bank $110.12 million, and City Bank 109.43 million in remittances. Pubali Bank received $5.48 million, Dutch-Bangla Bank $95.38 million, and Rupali Bank $93.53 million. Also read: Bangladesh receives $1.64 billion remittance in 21 days of July:BB Bangladesh saw its inward remittance drop by 15.12 percent to $21.03 billion year-on-year in FY22 after growing by more than 36 percent to $24.78 in FY21. It is mentionable though, that the drop is made steeper by the fact that the inward remittance figure for FY21 was an all-time record.

The monthly inflow of remittances hit an all-time high in April ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, reaching $2.067 billion. Expatriate Bangladeshis sent $1.91 billion in remittances in March; which rose 8.19% in April, according to the Bangladesh Bank. Read bKash offers 1 pc cash bonus on receiving remittance Expatriates sent $2.06 billion in remittance in April, up 89.17% year-on-year from the same period of last year. Remittance inflow usually increases ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, as the expatriates send a big chunk of foreign currencies to the country ahead of two major religious festivals of the Muslims, experts said. Read BB further simplifies outward remittance rules for industrialists Although the pandemic has slowed down the global economy, remittance inflow grew 39% to $20.67 billion in the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, compared to the same period of the last fiscal. The remittance earnings have begun an upward march amid the Covid-19 pandemic as the government and the central bank took several initiatives to boost it; the migrant workers have already become used to the legal channels and are enjoying the 2% cash incentive, experts said. Read Remittances: First 6 months of fiscal sees over 37 percent growth

Inward remittances witnessed a massive growth of 37.6 percent in the first six months of the current fiscal 2020-21, over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.