Import orders showed little movement in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, but actual payments dropped sharply, reflecting weak private sector demand, tighter controls and external shocks linked to Middle East tensions.
Bangladesh opened letters of credit (L/Cs) worth $53.94 billion during July–March of FY26, marking a marginal 0.35 per cent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to Bangladesh Bank data.
However, settlement of those import orders fell more noticeably. Payments stood at $50.43 billion over the period, down 4.14 per cent year-on-year, indicating a gap between orders placed and actual execution.
A senior central bank official said private sector demand for imports, particularly industrial raw materials, has weakened amid geopolitical uncertainty and supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Entrepreneurs are now in a wait-and-see mode due to both domestic and external shocks,” the official told TIMES, adding that import orders have remained nearly flat largely because of sustained government demand.
The slowdown reflects a combination of policy tightening and underlying economic stress.
Senior bankers said foreign exchange constraints have played a central role in curbing imports. The liquidity pressure has effectively slowed the flow of goods into the country, they said.
On the demand side, they said, industrial activity has lost momentum, reducing the need for raw materials and capital machinery. At the same time, inflation and uncertainty have dampened consumer demand, particularly for discretionary and high-end goods.
