Bangladesh’s trade deficit widened to $2.09 billion in July, the first month of the 2026-27 fiscal year, as import payments increased while export earnings declined.
According to Bangladesh Bank’s balance of payments data, the country spent $6.44 billion on imports in July, up 8.6% from the same month a year earlier.
Meanwhile, export earnings fell 1.6% year-on-year to $4.35 billion. As a result, the trade deficit rose from $1.51 billion in July 2025 to $2.09 billion this July.
Despite the wider trade gap, Bangladesh maintained a current account surplus, supported by stronger remittance inflows. Remittances rose 15.5% year-on-year to nearly $2.86 billion in July.
The current account recorded a surplus of $64 million at the end of July, down from $125 million in the same period of the previous fiscal year.
The financial account deficit also narrowed to $680 million in July from $880 million a year earlier.
However, foreign financing inflows remained weak at the start of the fiscal year. Foreign direct investment (FDI) stood at $110 million in July, down $10 million from a year earlier.
Overall, Bangladesh recorded a $630 million deficit in its balance of payments in July, compared with a $540 million deficit in the same month of FY2025-26.
