Forex reserves stand at $9.63b

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Country's foreign exchange reserves rose to $9.63 billion at the end of December from the lowest since August 2009 in November, although they were down from $11.17 billion a year earlier, the central bank said Sunday. Reserves are likely to fall again this month because of scheduled bimonthly import payments to the Asian Clearing Union, a senior central bank official said. Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves came under pressure from soaring imports, mainly of oil, while exports and remittances grew more slowly amid a
faltering global economy.