Nearly two-thirds of the money sent home by Bangladeshis working overseas during the first 11 months of the 2025-26 financial year came from just five countries, according to the latest figures released by Bangladesh Bank.
The central bank’s data shows expatriates transferred a total of $32.77 billion between July and May. Of that amount, $20.25 billion, or almost 62 per cent, came from Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and the United States, underlining the country’s continued dependence on a small number of overseas labour markets.
Saudi Arabia remained the largest single source of remittances over the period, contributing $5.28 billion, equivalent to almost 16 per cent of the national total.
The United Kingdom ranked second with $4.69 billion, followed by the United Arab Emirates at $4.28 billion, Malaysia with $3.22 billion, and the United States with $2.79 billion.
Remittance inflows from another six countries, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Singapore and Italy, reached $8.89 billion, accounting for around 27 per cent of the total. Combined, these 11 countries generated close to 90 per cent of all remittances received by Bangladesh during the period.
The monthly picture, however, changed in May.
Bangladesh received $3.44 billion in remittances during the month, with the United Kingdom becoming the largest contributor after expatriates there sent $650.9 million.
Saudi Arabia followed with $546.5 million, while the United Arab Emirates contributed $468.1 million.
Despite the change in May, Saudi Arabia remained Bangladesh’s leading remittance source for 10 of the first 11 months of the financial year. Transfers from the United Kingdom also showed steady growth, rising from $282.5 million in July to nearly $650 million by May.
Economists say the figures highlight both the strength and vulnerability of Bangladesh’s remittance sector. While earnings from a handful of destinations continue to support foreign exchange reserves and household incomes, they caution that excessive reliance on a limited number of labour markets could expose the country to economic or geopolitical disruptions.
They suggest expanding opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi workers in emerging destinations, particularly across Europe and East Asia, to broaden the country’s remittance base and strengthen long-term resilience.
