Bangladesh Bank bought nearly $6 billion so far this fiscal year

Bangladesh Bank has purchased nearly $6 billion from the foreign exchange market so far in the fiscal year 2025-26, reflecting continued efforts to manage liquidity and stabilise the exchange rate.

The central bank bought $100 million from six commercial banks yesterday at a cut-off rate of Tk 122.75 per dollar. Total purchases in the current fiscal year (July to May 18) stood at $5.98 billion, according to the latest data from the central bank.

Bangladesh Bank has been buying US dollars since the beginning of this fiscal year amid improved inflows and easing pressure on the foreign exchange market.

Between FY21 and FY25, the BB sold more than $25 billion from its foreign exchange reserves to meet import payments for fuel, fertiliser and food.

However, it resumed purchasing dollars at the beginning of the current fiscal year as supply increased on the back of higher export earnings and remittance inflows.

Building foreign exchange reserves is another reason behind the central bank’s continued dollar-buying spree.

According to Bangladesh Bank calculations, gross foreign exchange reserves stood at $34.31 billion as of May 14 this year, up from $25.47 billion during the same period last year.

However, reserves reached $29.65 billion as per the IMF’s BPM6 methodology, up from $20.09 billion last year.

The interbank exchange rate was Tk 122.75 per US dollar today.

Economic experts criticised the central bank's move to buy dollars amid high inflation in Bangladesh, arguing that allowing the dollar rate to fall further could help contain inflation.