Bangladesh's per capita debt Tk 64,380

Garment workers come out of a factory during the lunch break as factories remain open despite a countrywide lockdown, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 6, 2021. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain 

According to International Monetary Fund guidelines, Bangladesh's total foreign exchange reserves fell to $19.5 billion on November 8. Per capita foreign debt in Bangladesh increased from $283 in 2017 to $580 in June 2023. 64,380 taka in Bangladeshi currency (considering taka 111 per dollar).

External debt per capita refers to the country's share of overall external debt. According to Bangladesh Bank data, Bangladesh's external debt has reached $99 billion (about Tk 1,100,000 crore) as of June 2023, including public sector debt and private sector debt. That increased from $45.23 billion in June 2017 and $23.5 billion in June 2009.

However, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said on October 31 that Bangladesh's per capita debt is currently around $365.The Minister told Parliament that the foreign debt as of June 2023 was $62,312.71 million.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, the total foreign debt at the end of June 2023 was 98,935.47 million dollars. Of this, the public sector accounted for $76.67 billion ($64.57 billion was borrowed directly from the government and the rest through various public institutions). Private sector debt and short-term foreign debt are $22.25 billion.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, the country's external debt increased by 51% from $65.27 billion in June 2020 to $98.93 billion in June 2023, an increase of $33.6 billion over three years.

According to the data of the Ministry of Finance, the total government debt, including domestic and foreign, reached Tk 16,17,313 crore at the end of June 2023, while the debt in June 2022 was Tk 13,43,724 crore.

In July 2021, the exchange rate in the country was TK 84.80 per dollar, which rose to TK 111 after the central bank approved the floating rate.

According to International Monetary Fund guidelines, Bangladesh's total foreign exchange reserves fell to $19.5 billion on November 8.