Bangladesh’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Hold Above $36 Billion

Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have remained comfortably above the US$36 billion mark, reflecting a broadly stable external position despite minor day-to-day fluctuations. While the country’s overall reserve level has shown little movement in recent days, a persistent difference remains between the figures reported under the Bangladesh Bank’s own accounting system and those calculated using the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual, Sixth Edition (BPM6) methodology.

According to the latest data released on Thursday night by Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan, the country’s gross foreign exchange reserves stood at US$36.08 billion under the central bank’s own accounting framework. By comparison, the reserve calculated under the IMF’s internationally recognised BPM6 standard amounted to US$31.53 billion, representing the country’s readily available and usable foreign currency assets.

The figures indicate that, under Bangladesh Bank’s accounting system, total reserves reached US$36.08225 billion, while the BPM6-compliant reserve stood at US$31.5323 billion.

Recent data suggest that reserve levels have remained largely stable over the past several days. On 24 June, Bangladesh Bank reported reserves of US$36.10389 billion, with the BPM6 measure at US$31.55267 billion. A day later, both figures recorded only marginal declines, indicating that the country’s external liquidity position has remained relatively steady.

Earlier data also reflect a gradual upward trend over the month. On 23 June, reserves were reported at US$35.79811 billion under the central bank’s methodology and US$31.24422 billion under BPM6. On 17 June, the corresponding figures stood at US$35.80235 billion and US$31.23984 billion, while on 15 June they were recorded at US$35.63065 billion and US$31.08061 billion respectively.

The most notable increase came after 14 June, when Bangladesh received a budget support loan of approximately US$1.005 billion from the Asian Development Bank. The inflow significantly strengthened the country’s foreign exchange holdings, lifting reserves under both accounting methods. On that date, Bangladesh Bank reported reserves of US$35.62634 billion, while the BPM6 measure stood at US$31.07572 billion.

The gap between the two reserve calculations stems from differences in accounting methodology rather than any inconsistency in reporting. Bangladesh Bank’s own figures include a broader range of foreign assets held by the central bank. In contrast, the IMF’s BPM6 framework counts only those foreign currency assets that are immediately available and readily usable for meeting external payment obligations. As a result, the BPM6 reserve is consistently lower than the gross reserve reported by the central bank.

Economists and financial analysts closely monitor both sets of data when assessing Bangladesh’s external sector. The gross reserve provides an overview of the country’s total foreign assets, while the BPM6 figure offers a clearer picture of liquid reserves that can be deployed quickly if needed.

The trajectory of Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves continues to depend on several key factors, including export earnings, remittance inflows from overseas workers, external borrowing, and the country’s import payment obligations. Sustained growth in exports and remittances, combined with prudent management of external financing and import demand, remains essential for maintaining reserve stability in the months ahead.

With reserves remaining above US$36 billion under the central bank’s accounting framework and above US$31.5 billion under the IMF standard, Bangladesh’s external reserve position has remained broadly stable despite ongoing pressures in the global economic environment.