B Mirror Report: Remittance inflows to Bangladesh have seen a notable increase ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, as expatriate Bangladeshis send higher amounts of money to support their families’ additional expenses and festive shopping.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, the country received $2.83 billion in remittances during the first 23 days of March. At the current exchange rate of Tk 123 per dollar, the amount stands at approximately Tk 34,784 crore.

The information was confirmed on Tuesday by Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan.

Sector insiders say remittance inflows typically rise ahead of Eid due to increased household expenses. This seasonal trend is now clearly reflected in the stronger inflow of foreign earnings, which is also expected to have a positive impact on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Central bank officials believe that if the current trend continues, remittance inflows could reach a new record by the end of March.

Previously, in February, expatriates sent $3.02 billion in remittances, equivalent to around Tk 37,000 crore marking a 19.5 percent increase compared to the same month last year, when inflows stood at $2.52 billion.

Meanwhile, from July to March 23 of the current 2025–26 fiscal year, total remittance inflows reached $25.28 billion, which is 19.7 percent higher than the $21.12 billion recorded during the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Experts say that if this positive trend continues, it will further strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reserves and support overall macroeconomic stability.

According to the latest central bank data, Bangladesh’s total (gross) foreign exchange reserves stood at $34.22 billion as of March 16. Under the IMF’s BPM6 calculation method, reserves amounted to $29.52 billion.

A year earlier, in March last year, total reserves were $25.44 billion, or $20.30 billion under BPM6 indicating an increase of nearly $9 billion over the past year.