In December, Bangladesh received a total of USD 322.69 million in remittances from overseas. However, during the same period, seven banks in the country did not receive any remittance inflows, according to the latest report released by Bangladesh Bank on Thursday, 1 January.
The list of banks that reported zero remittances includes one specialised bank, two private banks, and four foreign banks.
Among the specialised banks, Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) received no remittance. In the private sector, Padma Bank PLC and ICB Islamic Bank did not register any inflows. The foreign banks with zero remittance for the month were Al-Falah Bank, Habib Bank, National Bank of Pakistan, and State Bank of India.
Bangladesh Bank’s data further reveals that in December, state-owned banks received USD 57.24 million, specialised banks accounted for USD 35.35 million, private banks handled the bulk of remittances at USD 229.39 million, while foreign banks contributed only USD 0.69 million.
| Bank Category | Total Remittance (USD) | Banks with Zero Remittance |
|---|---|---|
| State-owned Banks | 57,236,000 | 0 |
| Specialised Banks | 35,352,000 | 1 (RAKUB) |
| Private Banks | 229,394,000 | 2 (Padma Bank PLC, ICB Islamic Bank) |
| Foreign Banks | 687,000 | 4 (Al-Falah, Habib, National Bank of Pakistan, State Bank of India) |
| Total | 322,669,000 | 7 |
Over the 2024–25 fiscal year, Bangladeshi expatriates sent a record USD 30.32 billion (BDT 3,032.8 crore) in remittances, marking the highest ever remittance inflow in a single fiscal year in the country’s history. This surge reflects the growing contribution of overseas Bangladeshis to the national economy, despite the uneven distribution across banks.
Experts note that while private banks continue to dominate remittance collection, the low inflow to certain specialised and foreign banks in December highlights the need for improving outreach and accessibility for remittance services across all banking sectors.