Economy feature

Forex reserves hold steady above $31b after ACU payment

Higher remittance inflow and export growth keep reserves stable despite $1.6b settlement

Written by The Banking Post


Bangladesh’s gross foreign exchange reserves have remained above the $31 billion mark even after settling $1.6 billion in import payments to Asian Clearing Union (ACU) member countries for the September–October 2025 period.

After the payment, the country’s gross reserves stood at $31.14 billion on Sunday, down from $32.71 billion on the previous working day, according to Bangladesh Bank (BB) data.

A senior BB official said the central bank has been working to strengthen the reserve position since August 2024, and it now stands at a “satisfactory level” despite the routine ACU payment.

He attributed the stability to a higher inflow of remittances, steady export growth, and the central bank’s dollar purchases from commercial banks. Since July 13, BB has directly bought $2.16 billion through auctions under the free-floating exchange rate system.

Officials confirmed that the ACU payment has already been remitted to the union’s headquarters in Tehran, following the regular bi-monthly settlement schedule for outstanding import bills and related interest.


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