Bangladesh leaders clash over remittance shutdown threats

Political leaders in Bangladesh are clashing over calls for a remittance shutdown. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has condemned threats to halt expatriate remittances, labeling them ‘anti-national and inhumane.’ Rizvi argued that such actions would jeopardize the livelihoods of millions of families and damage the national economy, noting that overseas Bangladeshis represent diverse political affiliations.

In response to these calls, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives, Mir Shahe Alam, stated that the country has not reached a situation where expatriates would stop sending money. He noted that despite calls for a shutdown from the opposition, 7,776 crore BDT in remittances arrived within a five-day period.

Minister Alam also highlighted economic improvements under the interim government, claiming that foreign exchange reserves have increased to 37 billion dollars over the last seven months, up from 20 billion dollars at the time of the previous government's fall.