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Published : 25 May 2026, 11:13 AM
Bangladeshis living in Italy have once again secured the top position in sending remittances, or expatriate income, back to their home country.
In 2025, immigrants living in Italy sent a total of 8.6 billion euros to their home countries, with a significant portion going to Bangladesh.
This information was revealed in a recent joint report by Italy’s central bank, Banca d’Italia, and the research organisation Fondazione Leone Moressa.
According to the report, nearly 1.7 billion euros were sent from Italy to Bangladesh in 2025, equivalent to approximately Tk 243 billion.
This accounted for 19.6 percent of Italy’s total remittances. Bangladesh was followed by India and Morocco on the list of top remittance-receiving countries.
Bangladesh consul general in Milan, Rafiqul Alam, thanked expatriates and said: “It is a matter of pride for us that Bangladeshi expatriates are making a significant contribution to the national economy. We always encourage and raise awareness among expatriates to send remittances through legal channels. Alongside government initiatives, the patriotism and enthusiasm of expatriates have kept this trend alive.”
The consul general also stated that Bangladesh has remained the number one recipient of remittances from Italy for six consecutive years since 2019. Previously, the Philippines and Romania usually topped the list, but in 2019 Bangladeshi expatriates surpassed them by sending 662 million euros.
After that, they sent 701 million euros in 2020, 875 million euros in 2021, and more than 1.1 billion euros regularly in both 2022 and 2023. Therefore, the achievement of sending 1.7 billion euros in 2025 reflects the steady growth of the past several years.
The study found that, on average, an immigrant living in Italy sends 134 euros per month to their home country. However, the rate among Bangladeshi expatriates is much higher.
On average, a Bangladeshi sends 654 euros per month back home, the highest among all foreign communities living in Italy. Filipino citizens send more than 300 euros per month on average.
The report also mentioned that if informal remittance channels outside the banking system (such as hundi and other methods) are included, the actual amount could range from 9.9 billion to 12.5 billion euros. This amount exceeds Italy’s official spending on international development assistance.
The Lombardia region of Italy sent the highest amount of remittances, exceeding 1.9 billion euros. It was followed by the Lazio and Emilia-Romagna regions. As cities, Rome and Milan together accounted for nearly one-fourth of the total remittances sent.
Over the past decade, remittances to Bangladesh and India have increased steadily, while growth in Romania, Pakistan, and the Philippines has been slower. However, the most dramatic decline was seen in China’s case. While China received more than 3 billion euros in remittances in 2011–12, the amount dropped to just 4 million euros in 2025.
