Forex reserves to stay over $32b even after ACU payments

Bangladesh's treasury won't feel dollar stress even after settling import- payment obligations to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) member- countries as gross foreign-exchange reserves are yet expected to stay over US$32 billion.

The latest payment of $1.5 billion is scheduled to be remitted to the ACU headquarters in Tehran today (Thursday), officials said Wednesday.

As per the union's existing provisions, outstanding import bills and interest thereof are to be paid by member-countries every two months.

After the payment for the November-December 2025 period, the country's gross forex reserves are estimated to stand over $32-billion mark Thursday, little down from $33.78 billion on the previous working day. The reserves stood at $33.71 billion Tuesday.

"Our forex reserves now stand at a satisfactory level, even after making the routine payment to the ACU," a senior official of Bangladesh Bank (BB) told The Financial Express (FE) in response to a query about any worry.

The central bank has been working to build up the reserves since the recent mass uprising in 2024, according to the BB official, who cites the reasons like steady inflows against subdued outflows.

"Higher inflow of remittances along with steady growth in export earnings has helped boost the country's forex reserves," the central banker explains.

Purchase of the greenback from the commercial banks by the central bank has also contributed to the rise forex reserves recently, he adds.

The central bank of Bangladesh has so far bought $3.55 billion from banks directly since July 13 last under the prevailing free-float exchange arrangement, latest BB data show.

"Lowe import-payment obligations have also contributed to improving the country's forex-reserves situation," another BB official says, adding that the country is able to meet more than five months' import-payment bills with the existing reserves.

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