DHAKA, Sept 24, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh’s external sector demonstrated remarkable resilience and positive momentum over the past year, reflecting strong fundamental economic health and effective macroeconomic management, according to the latest economic update released by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission.

The report noted that the robust performance positions the nation for sustained export-led growth, strengthened investor confidence, and enhanced ability to withstand global uncertainties.

According to the report, export earnings have shown encouraging resilience and consistent performance, signaling growing global demand for domestic products and highlighting the competitiveness and adaptability of local industries. 

Throughout the year, earnings have consistently remained robust, with figures frequently surpassing the US$4,000 million mark.

This sustained performance, even in months of relative moderation, underscores the sector’s strong foundation and signals optimism for continued export-led growth.

The exchange rate dynamics between the Bangladeshi Taka (BDT) and the US Dollar have maintained stability and predictability, which is critical for supporting trade and investment confidence. The bilateral rate has remained relatively steady, hovering around 120–122 BDT/USD.

More recently, the daily exchange rate demonstrated minimal volatility, fluctuating narrowly around 121.6–121.99 BDT/USD from August 21 to September 16, 2025. This consistent performance reflects a well-managed foreign exchange market, supporting smoother trade settlements, better import-export planning, and overall macroeconomic stability.

While the exchange rate stability is high, the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) exhibited healthy fluctuations. Upward movements in the REER, specifically reaching 124.92 in December 2024 and 126.31 in August 2025, suggest a slight erosion of price competitiveness. Prudent management involving a policy of short-term stability and long-term flexibility is recommended for the exchange rate environment.

Complementing the trade performance, Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves have shown a robust and upward trend over the past year, reflecting effective reserve management. Gross reserves increased substantially, rising from $24.86 billion in September 2024 to $31.17 billion by August 2025. BPM6-based reserves saw a similar increase, rising from $19.86 billion to $26.17 billion during the same timeframe.

Notable peaks for gross reserves were reached in June 2025 ($31.72 billion) and August 2025 ($31.17 billion). This sustained accumulation provides a solid cushion to meet trade and debt obligations, underscoring confidence in the external sector.

On the domestic front, revenue collection has also shown significant positive momentum. Total NBR revenue collection in August 2025 of the FY 2025-2026 reached Taka 27,162 crore, significantly higher than the Taka 23,089.37 crore collected in August 2024 of the FY 2024-2025. This indicates a positive growth of Taka 4,072.63 crore, representing a robust growth percentage of 17.63 percent compared to the previous year.

Overall, these combined factors highlight a well-balanced external sector, reinforcing investor and trader confidence and positioning Bangladesh well for sustained economic activity.