United News of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi expatriates sent $2.52 billion in remittances in February 2025, marking a 25 percent year-on-year growth compared to February 2024, when the figure stood at $2.02 billion. From July 2024 to February 2025, the total remittance inflow reached $18.49 billion, compared to $14.93 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year—an increase of 23.8 percent. Bangladesh Bank spokesperson and Executive Director Arif Hossain Khan made disclosure on Sunday. Monthly Breakdown of Remittances in FY 2024-25: July: $1.91 billion August: $2.22 billion September: $2.4 billion $2.25 billion received in remittances in May, up 10.3% over April October: $2.39 billion November: $2.2 billion December: $2.64 billion January: $2.19 billion February: $2.52 billion According to the central bank, remittance inflows saw a notable rise following the political transition on August 5, 2024. Remittance inflow stands at Tk 16,008.84 crore in first half of Feb Arif Hossain Khan attributed the growth to expatriates increasingly using banking channels to send money home, incentivised by instant bonuses and secure transactions. “The central bank always encourages remitters to send their hard-earned money through secure banking channels,” he said.

Bangladesh is on track to set a record for inward remittances through legal channels this year, as expatriates regain trust in the banking system, said Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur. The governor made the remarks while addressing concerns over recent media reports alleging loan irregularities involving an independent director of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC. Following an investigation, Bangladesh Bank found no evidence to support the claims against Abdul Jalil, an independent director of the bank. “Publishing reports in newspapers is not a probe that proves someone guilty. Sometimes, misinformation and lack of proper verification lead to misleading reports,” Dr. Mansur told UNB on Wednesday. He suggested that vested groups opposing banking sector reforms might be spreading such propaganda. BB Governor urges businesses to ensure compliance He, however, emphasised the positive trajectory of the banking sector, particularly in remittance collection. “We have confidence in the current board of Islami Bank. The bank has made a remarkable turnaround and is excelling in areas such as deposit growth, investment, and remittance collection.” Dr Mansur expressed optimism that remittance inflows through official channels would hit a new high this year. “Expatriates now have renewed confidence in the banking system, and this will reflect in record-breaking remittance figures,” he added. About small depositors in some troubled banks, the governor reassured that Bangladesh Bank is working on policies to safeguard depositors' interests. “There is no reason to worry about customer deposits in any scheduled bank. We are working on long-term solutions, but people need to be patient for a steady recovery,” he said. With increasing trust in the banking system and ongoing reforms, Bangladesh is expected to see strong economic gains from its remittance-dependent financial sector.

Bangladesh received remittances totalling $655 million in the first nine days of November, according to the latest report of the Bangladesh Bank. This amounts to an average daily inflow of around Tk 72.8 million in foreign remittances. The central bank’s report revealed that the remittance inflow for the same period in October was $739.8 million, indicating a decrease in this November’s remittance figures. In terms of distribution among banks, state-owned banks accounted for $199.75 million of the remittances. Private banks managed the highest share, facilitating $421.94 million in remittances, while specialised banks contributed $31.56 million, and foreign banks handled $1.75 million. Its further breakdown shows that between 3rd and 9th November, a total of $612.58 million was remitted to Bangladesh, while from 1st to 3rd November, expatriates sent $42.41 million. Bangladesh received $2.5386 billion in remittances in June. The inflow, however, dropped significantly in July, the first month of the current fiscal year, with remittances totalling nearly $1.91 billion – the lowest in the past 10 months. Significant rise in remittance inflow as Oct records over $2.39 bn The trend began to stabilise with the formation of an interim government, and remittances rebounded in August, reaching $2.2213 billion. In September, remittance inflows reached a fiscal year high of $2.4048 billion, followed by a slight decline in October, which saw $2.3951 billion in total remittances.