Bangladesh receives $2.2b in remittances in first half of March

Bangladesh has recorded a robust surge in remittance inflows, with a 35.7% increase during the first 14 days of March 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank (BB).

Expatriate workers sent home US$ 2.20 billion in the first two weeks of March, up significantly from $1.62 billion in the same period of 2025. 

Between March 12 and March 14 alone, the country received $284 million in remittances ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Cumulative remittances from July 2025 to March 14, 2026, reached $24.65 billion, reflecting a 22.6% growth over $20.11 billion recorded during the same period of the previous fiscal year.

This upward trend follows several monthly peaks in recent months, including $3.29 billion in March 2025; driven by Eid-ul-Fitr, and $3.17 billion in January 2026.

Bangladesh’s gross foreign reserves stood at $34.54 billion as of February, while net reserves, calculated using the IMF’s BPM-6 methodology, are estimated at $29.86 billion.

Economists attribute the steady growth in remittances to a stabilised exchange rate and the government’s strong crackdown on illegal hundi activities following the political transition in August 2024.

SH