Bangladesh sees inward remittance on the up and up with an over 15-percent annualised growth to US$3.42 billion in May as expatriates continue funneling higher forex into the country.
With the latest monthly inflow, the economy of over $460 billion enjoyed inner remittance amounting to over $3.0 billion each for the last six consecutive months.
The remittance support gives a much-needed respite to the country amid persisting geopolitical tensions over the Middle East which accounts for major chunk of the remittance inflows.
According to the latest data with Bangladesh Bank (BB), Bangladeshi people working abroad sent home $3.42 billion in May, which is the second-highest monthly count in the country's history after last March count of $3.75 billion.
In May last year, the country had received $2.97 billion, in an increase of $456 million over the past 12 months.
In the first 11 months of the current fiscal year (FY'26), the country has so far bagged $32.76 billion, 19.09-percent higher from $27.51 billion recorded during the same period of time of the last financial year (FY'25), according to the central bank's data.
Spokesperson for the BB Arief Hossain Khan says the Bangladeshi expatriates continue sending large volumes of remittance back home, which is a "good sign".
But many think that the remitters living in the crisis-prone Gulf countries might have sent money as many want to avert the war-induced shocks in the coming days, he adds.
"If it happens, it will be an alarming issue. If they send money from their increased income, it will be a good sign," he notes.
Mr. Khan, also an executive director of the central bank, says they will closely monitor the remittance trend in the coming months. "If the flow of remittance drops sharply in June, it will be a matter of concern."
Notwithstanding a continuous fall in the growth of exports in recent months up to March last, the record inflow of remittance continues bolstering the country's foreign-exchange reserves.
The BB statistics show the country's gross forex reserves stood at $34.77 billion as on May 01, 2026 after clearing ACU (Asian Clearing Union) payments of $1.51 billion from $35.11 billion recorded by end of April last.
In accordance with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) arithmetic, the gross reserves had reached $30.11 billion until May 01, 2026 from April-end count of $30.45 billion.
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