BB buys over $4b from commercial banks in current fiscal year

To stabilise the foreign exchange market and support remittance and export inflows, the Bangladesh Bank has purchased over $4 billion from commercial banks through auctions in the current fiscal year.

Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan told journalists on Monday that the central bank has bought $4.15 billion so far this fiscal year. 

Today alone, it purchased $218 million from 16 commercial banks at a rate of Tk122.30 per dollar, bringing the total purchases for February to $218 million.

Dollar supply has increased due to rising remittance inflows through banking channels, prompting commercial banks to sell dollars to the central bank.

A senior Bangladesh Bank official told The Business Standard that banks are keen to sell dollars, while the central bank is increasing its reserves through these purchases.

In January 2026, the country received $3.17 billion in remittances – the third-highest monthly inflow on record. This marks a 45.41% increase compared to $2.18 billion received in January 2025.

Previously, the highest remittance inflow was recorded in March 2025 at $3.29 billion, followed by $3.22 billion in December 2025.

A senior official said Bangladesh Bank is buying dollars mainly to sustain export and remittance flows and to prevent a fall in the exchange rate.

Bangladesh Bank began purchasing dollars through auctions for the first time in July 2025. These purchases have injected a significant amount of liquidity into the banking system.