Governor expects relaxed investment restrictions to boost reserves and dollar supply.
Collage: TBS
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Collage: TBS
Bangladesh Bank is planning to attract more foreign currency through Non-Resident Convertible (NRC) accounts and ease investment and maturity restrictions on three types of expatriate bonds to strengthen the country’s foreign exchange reserves, Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman has said.
He made the remarks at the fifth Bangladesh Economic Summit 2026, organised by Bonik Barta at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka today (14 November).
The governor said NRC accounts had already been introduced, and the central bank, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), was conducting international promotional campaigns to encourage foreign currency deposits through the facility.
He expressed optimism that the initiative would help bolster the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Citing examples from neighbouring countries, Mostaqur Rahman said India had raised $32 billion through similar accounts within four to five months, while Pakistan had mobilised $13 billion.
Bangladesh also aims to attract foreign currency through the NRC account facility, he added.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman spoke at the fifth Bangladesh Economic Summit 2026 on 14 November 2026. Photo: Courtesy
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Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman spoke at the fifth Bangladesh Economic Summit 2026 on 14 November 2026. Photo: Courtesy
The governor said the central bank was working to ensure that payments due under NRC accounts over the next three to four years did not exert significant pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
The governor also announced plans to ease maturity and investment-related restrictions on three types of bonds available to expatriate Bangladeshis.
He said the maximum tenure of these bonds had been capped at 15 years around five years ago for unspecified reasons. The authorities were now working to make their maturity periods and investment opportunities more flexible.
Investments in the three types of bonds currently total the equivalent of $604 million, he said.
Mostaqur Rahman expressed hope that relaxing the restrictions would attract additional foreign currency, strengthen reserves and increase dollar supply in the domestic foreign exchange market.
He said the initiatives were intended to ease pressure on foreign exchange reserves while encouraging expatriate Bangladeshis to invest more in the country.
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