Forex reserves slip under $30b mark following ACU settlement

The foreign exchange reserves of Bangladesh have dropped below the $30 billion threshold after the central bank processed a scheduled payment to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU).

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson and Executive Director Arief Hossain Khan confirmed on Sunday that the national reserves now stand at $29.48 billion, based on the International Monetary Fund’s BPM-6 accounting standard. This represents a decline from the $30.96 billion recorded on 7 April.

The dip follows the mandatory settlement of import bills through the ACU, a regional trade payment system that operates among nine member nations, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Under this arrangement, member central banks clear cross-border transactions every two months on a multilateral basis to streamline regional trade.

Economic analysts monitor these figures closely as they reflect the country’s ability to cover import costs and maintain currency stability. While the reserves remain substantial, the periodic ACU payments frequently cause fluctuations in the total holdings reported by the central bank.