Remittances surpass $2bn in 18 days of Jan

Inward remittances to Bangladesh have crossed the $2 billion mark in the first 18 days of January, signaling the possibility of just the third time inward remittances cross $3 billion in a month.

According to the Bangladesh Bank, expatriate Bangladeshis sent $2.04 billion in the first 18 days of the new year. This figure marks a significant surge compared to the same period of last year, which saw an inflow of $1.20 billion representing an increase of approximately $833 million year-on-year.

The central bank officials are optimistic that January could challenge previous milestones. Currently, the highest monthly remittance in Bangladesh's history stands at $3.29 billion, recorded in March of the FY2024–25, driven largely by Eid festivities.

The second-highest record was recently set in December of FY2025-26, which saw an inflow of $3.22 billion, overtaking the previous runner-up record of $2.97 billion from May last year.

The central bank data revealed that the highest remittance of $3.29 billion was received in March of the FY2024-25, which was a record. The total remittances in the entire fiscal year (FY2024-25) stood at $30.33 billion—26.8 percent more than the previous year.

Financial analysts suggest that the stability of the exchange rate and streamlined banking channels are contributing to this robust growth in foreign exchange inflows.