With the changing political landscape of the country, the flow of remittance or foreign income is increasing. The second highest remittance of the current 2024-25 fiscal year came in the month of February, which is also known as the Language Month. During the entire month of February, a total of $252.80 million in remittance was received. Converted into Bangladeshi taka (assuming 1 USD = 122 BDT), the amount exceeds approximately 31 thousand crore taka.

According to sources from Bangladesh Bank, a total of $252.80 million was received in remittance throughout the month of February. In comparison, the remittance sent in January was nearly $219 million. Last year in February, the remittance was $202 million. This shows an increase of approximately $34 million from January, and a rise of $50 million compared to the same time last year (February 2024).

During the first 8 months of the current 2024-25 fiscal year, remittance of $1.849 billion has been received, which is an increase of $355 million compared to $1.494 billion during the same period of the previous fiscal year (2023-24).

Earlier in December, the highest-ever remittance of $2.64 billion was recorded in the country's history. This will mark the eighth consecutive month since August that remittance has crossed $2 billion.

The remittance data for the first few months of the fiscal year is as follows:

• July: $191.37 million

• August: $222.13 million

• Septemb er: $240.41 million

• October: $239.50 million

• November: $220 million

• December: $264 million

• January: $219 million

• February: $253 million

This is the highest-ever remittance received in a single month. Previously, during the COVID-19 period in July 2020, a remittance of $2.59 billion was received, which was then the record. The December 2024 figure surpassed this record. The remittance received in December 2024 was approximately $264 million, an increase of $64.8 million from the same time last year, which was $199.1 million.

In addition, the positive trend in remittance or foreign income has boosted the country's foreign exchange reserves. According to the latest data, the country's reserve has increased to $20.90 billion. The total gross reserve stands at $26.13 billion or 2,613 crore dollars. Based on the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) BPM-6 accounting method, the reserve is currently at $20.90 billion or 2,090 crore dollars.

However, apart from these figures, there is another account of the reserves held by Bangladesh Bank, known as the usable reserve. This information is officially shared only with the IMF by the central bank. The usable reserve is calculated by excluding the dollar in the IMF's SDR account, the foreign currency in the bank's foreign currency clearing accounts, and the accrued bills.

According to this account, the usable reserve of the country is currently a little above $15 billion. Generally, a country needs to maintain a reserve equal to at least three months of its import expenses. Bangladesh has this amount of reserve. Net reserves are calculated according to the IMF's BPM-6 measurement, which is the actual reserve after deducting short-term liabilities from the total reserves.