Bangladesh Bank has instructed banks to stop using traditional methods for direct payments to lenders in Asian Clearing Union (ACU) member countries. Instead, banks must use the ACU mechanism, which involves routing payments through central banks. The ACU, comprising Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, facilitates intra-regional payment settlements.
Previously, some Bangladeshi banks were making direct payments to Indian lenders, which contributed to increasing pressure on Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves. The Foreign Exchange Transactions Guidelines 2018 outline the procedures for settling current account transactions under the ACU system.