Remittance inflows cross $2bn in 21 days of June as Bangladesh Bank forecasts $36bn at year-end

Officials project a seventh straight month above $3 billion if June inflows continue at the current pace

Remittance inflows to Bangladesh have continued their strong upward trend, with expatriates sending over $2 billion in the first 21 days of June, the final month of the fiscal year.

If the current pace holds for the remaining nine days, inflows are expected to exceed $3 billion in June, while Bangladesh Bank officials project total remittances could reach $36 billion by the end of the fiscal year.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arief Hossain Khan provided the latest data on Monday, showing that expatriates sent $2.08 billion between Jun 1 and Jun 21.

This marks a 4.7 percent increase compared with the same period last year.

Overall, remittance inflows in the first 11 months and 21 days of the outgoing fiscal year (Jul 1, 2025–Jun 21, 2026) stood at $34.84 billion, up 18.1 percent year-on-year and nearly 15 percent higher than total inflows recorded in the previous fiscal year.

In June last year, $1.90 billion was received in the first 21 days, while the full month brought in $2.82 billion.

Central bank data shows March remains the peak month so far, with $3.75 billion in remittances -- the highest ever recorded.

The current streak has now seen remittances remain above $3 billion for six consecutive months. If June crosses that threshold, it will extend to seven straight months.

Arief, executive director of the central bank, said higher inflows in recent months were partly driven by seasonal factors, including Eid-ul-Azha on May 28 and Eid-ul-Fitr in March, which typically boost remittance flows.

“Traditionally, remittance inflows decline after Eid periods, but this time the positive trend has continued even after both festivals,” he said.

“Based on current trends, we expect June inflows to exceed $3 billion and total annual remittances to reach $36 billion,” he added.

He also noted that concerns over geopolitical tensions, including the Iran conflict, had not yet impacted remittance flows.

At present, banks are offering Tk 123 per US dollar.

At this rate, remittances received in the first 21 days of June translate to Tk 256.33 billion. On average, expatriates are sending $99.2 million per day, equivalent to about Tk 12.2 billion.

Remittance inflows remain one of the strongest pillars of Bangladesh’s economy, helping stabilise macroeconomic conditions and foreign exchange reserves.

At the end of Monday, gross reserves stood at $35.74 billion, while reserves under the BPM6 standard were $31.18 billion.