Written by The Banking Post
Bangladesh’s remittance inflow crossed the $3 billion mark again in April, as expatriates sent home $3.12 billion, marking strong year-on-year growth and extending a four-month streak of robust inflows.
The latest figure represents a nearly 14 per cent increase from $2.75 billion recorded in April last year, according to Bangladesh Bank data. It is also the fifth-highest monthly remittance inflow in the country’s history.
With April’s earnings, remittance has remained above $3 billion for four consecutive months, offering crucial support to the economy amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East — a key source region for migrant income.
In the first ten months of FY2025-26, total remittance inflows reached $29.33 billion, up 19.5 per cent from $24.53 billion in the same period a year earlier.
A central bank spokesperson described the continued inflow as a positive sign for the economy, noting that expatriate Bangladeshis are maintaining strong transfer volumes.
He said inflows could remain elevated in the coming weeks ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, a period that typically sees higher remittance transfers.
However, he cautioned that part of the recent surge could reflect precautionary transfers by workers in Gulf countries amid regional uncertainty.
“If remittances rise due to higher income, it is a good sign. But if they are driven by fear of instability, it could be a concern,” he said, adding that the central bank will closely monitor trends in the coming months.
The strong remittance performance has helped offset slower export growth and supported the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
According to central bank data, gross reserves rose to $35.20 billion as of April 3, 2026, up from $34.12 billion at the end of March. Under IMF calculations, reserves also increased to $30.51 billion from $29.50 billion over the same period.
