The United States, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia emerged as the top sources of remittance inflows to Bangladesh in the first seven months of the 2024-25 fiscal year, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

Total remittance inflows from the top 30 countries reached $15.96 billion during this period, with December witnessing a peak before declining in January due to post-festival slowdowns and economic adjustments.

The US led the remittance flow with $2.9 billion from July 2024 to January 2025. Monthly inflows peaked at $565.04 million in December before dropping to $407.52 million in January. The UK followed with $1.47 billion, with January inflows rising to $273.4 million from $248.48 million in December.

Saudi Arabia, historically the largest remittance source for Bangladesh, contributed $1.99 billion. Inflows peaked at $290 million in December but fell by 30 percent in January.

The UAE ranked fourth with $2.27 billion in total remittances, while Malaysia and Kuwait followed with $876.14 million and $867.14 million, respectively. Italy saw a surge in January, with inflows reaching $131 million, the highest in seven months.

Experts suggest a shift in remittance channels, with aggregators playing a crucial role. Mustafizur Rahman of the Centre for Policy Dialogue noted that while Saudi Arabia’s inflows declined, remittances from the UAE surged, possibly due to aggregator activities in Dubai.

Pubali Bank CEO Mohammad Ali said the US, UK, and Saudi Arabia remain the top sources due to their large Bangladeshi migrant populations.