In August, remittances from Bangladeshis abroad surged nearly 39% year-on-year to $2.2 billion, offering some relief to the country’s foreign exchange reserves. This increase, 16.10% higher than July’s $1.9 billion, helps counteract the previous month’s drop due to an internet blackout and bank closures amid protests over government job quotas.
An expert from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies noted that this rise could boost economic activity and investment, reflecting expatriates’ confidence in the new government. However, he cautioned that sustaining this growth depends on the interim government’s commitment to rebuilding the country. Bangladesh’s forex reserves had peaked at $48 billion in August 2021 but have since declined due to rising import costs and insufficient remittance and export growth. The central bank’s recent policy changes, including adjusting the exchange rate, have positively impacted remittance inflows. For FY24, remittance inflow grew 10% year-on-year to $23.9 billion.