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Published : 08 May 2025, 04:07 AM
Bangladesh's trade deficit has reached $15.43 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, reflecting a 2.03 percent decline compared with the same period last year.
Between July and March of FY 2023–24, the trade deficit stood at $15.75 billion.
Updated data released by Bangladesh Bank on Tuesday shows the country exported goods and services worth $33.87 billion during the July-March period of FY 2024-25.
In the same period a year earlier, export earnings were $30.95 billion—reflecting a growth of 9.50 percent.
Imports totalled $49.30 billion during the period, marking a 5.60 percent increase from $46.70 billion in the previous fiscal year.
CURRENT ACCOUNT
The current account deficit has narrowed in the first nine months of this fiscal year.
Up to March, the current account posted a deficit of $659 million, compared with $4.40 billion in the same period last fiscal year.
The current account reflects a country’s regular international transactions — including export-import flows and other income-expense items.
A surplus means the country can finance its transactions without borrowing, while a deficit signals the need for external loans.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNT
The financial account posted a surplus of $1.31 billion in the July-March period.
In the same period last fiscal year, the surplus stood at $901 million.
The financial account tracks net foreign loans, assistance, foreign direct investment (FDI), and portfolio investment.
Trade credit recorded a deficit of $511 million during the first nine months, down from $2.16 billion in the same period a year ago.
The “errors and omissions” line, which captures unexplained capital movements, registered a deficit of $1.98 billion, up from $1.55 billion in the previous fiscal year.
WHAT ECONOMISTS SAY
Zahid Hussain, former lead economist at the World Bank’s Dhaka office, told bdnews24.com: “March saw the highest remittance inflow in history. That’s why the current account deficit dropped significantly.
“The financial account hasn’t changed much.”
He noted that trade credit showed a $500 million deficit in March compared with February. “Trade credit reflects goods loaded on ships and the bills received for them. It was lower until February but rose in March.”
According to the economist, exporters were properly repatriating their export income until February.
“The errors and omissions account shows a nearly $2 billion deficit. That means this amount of money has been spent, but Bangladesh Bank can’t say where it went,” he added.
