Bangladesh lost an estimated USD 68 billion to illicit trade flows between 2013 and 2022, significantly draining public revenue and foreign exchange, according to a report published in March 2026. The non-performing loan ratio declined to 30.60 per cent in December 2025 from 35.73 per cent in September 2025, largely due to an extensive loan rescheduling drive conducted under more relaxed central bank policies. Export performance continued to deteriorate during July–March FY2026, registering a negative year-on-year growth of 4.85 per cent, mainly due to a slowdown in RMG exports. Monthly exports also declined substantially by 18.07 per cent year-on-year to USD 3.48 billion in March 2026. Headline inflation continued to decline to 8.60 per cent in March 2026, with food inflation falling to 7.93 per cent during this period. However, the slow pace of decline in non-food inflation, combined with declining wage growth of 8.11 per cent, continues to weaken household purchasing power and reduce real incomes.
Author: Md. Imran Nazir, Programme Associate, CPD
Series Editor: Dr Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director, CPD
Publication Period: May 2026
