Forex reserves dip to $34.85b after ACU payment

Bangladesh has made a routine payment of US$1.64 billion to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) to settle import bills for September-October 2026, putting fresh pressure on the country's foreign-exchange reserves.

After the payment, the country's gross foreign-exchange (forex) reserves fell to $34.85 billion on Thursday from $36.38 billion on the previous working day, according to the latest central bank's statistics.

As per the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual, Sixth Edition (BPM6), the reserves dropped to $29.98 billion during the period from $31.51 billion.

Imports settled through the ACU rose nearly 18 per cent to $1.64 billion in September-October 2026, up from $1.39 billion in the previous two-month period, mainly due to higher imports from member countries,

particularly neighbouring India, a senior Bangladesh  Bank (BB) official told The Financial Express (FE).

Bangladesh currently imports various consumer goods, cotton, industrial raw materials and capital machinery from ACU member countries, particularly India. As per the existing arrangement, member countries settle their outstanding import bills, along with applicable interest, every two months.

"The government's higher external debt servicing has also contributed to the decline in forex reserves during the period under review," the central banker explained.

He, however, expects the government's borrowing from external sources to increase in the coming months, which could help boost the country's forex reserves.

Besides, higher remittance inflows, which are expected to continue in the coming months ahead of the holy Ramadan and the two Eid festivals, will also help bolster the country's reserves, he added.

The BB official said the country's existing reserves were sufficient to cover around five months of import payments.

Source: The Financial Express