Forex Reserves Stand at $26.79 billion: BB

Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have reached US$26.79 billion, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) announced in a press release issued today.

This figure reflects the gross reserves held by the central bank and includes various components such as foreign currencies, gold reserves, and special drawing rights. The central bank maintains these reserves to ensure stability in the country’s external sector and to meet its international payment obligations.

However, when calculated under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6) methodology, the reserves stand at a lower amount—US$21.43 billion. This method excludes certain components such as foreign currency loans to local banks and other assets not readily available for external use.

The difference between the gross reserves and the BPM6-compliant reserves has been a topic of ongoing discussion, especially in the context of Bangladesh’s economic engagements with international financial institutions. The BPM6 method is increasingly used by countries around the world to reflect a more accurate and internationally comparable picture of reserve assets.

Bangladesh Bank continues to monitor the reserves closely, as they play a critical role in supporting the country’s imports, managing exchange rate volatility, and maintaining investor confidence in the economy.