Bangladesh’s net foreign currency reserves have decreased to $18.43 billion (1,843 crore 75 lakh 80 thousand dollars) as per the International Monetary Fund`s BPM6 calculation method, the Bangladesh Bank reported on Thursday (Nov 14).

Including funds set aside in various foreign currency accounts, the total foreign reserves currently stand at $24.16 billion.

The reserves have dropped below $19 billion after recently paying $1.5 billion in dues to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) for September and October. Currently, the country’s usable reserves stand at just over $13 billion.

The decline in reserves underscores the current challenges facing the foreign exchange balance amid rising import bills and external liabilities.