Bangladesh Per Capita Debt Stands at Tk 1.29 Lakh as of March: Finance Minister

💰 Dhaka, Bangladesh — Bangladesh’s per capita debt has climbed to Tk 1.29 lakh as of March 2026, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury disclosed in Parliament, highlighting the growing debt burden carried by each citizen of the country.

🏛 The finance minister disclosed the figure in response to a question from Reza Ahmed, Member of Parliament for Kushtia-1 constituency, during the question-and-answer session in Parliament.

📊 For a country of around 170 million people, the per capita debt of Tk 1.29 lakh translates into a total national debt burden that underscores the fiscal pressure facing the government as it seeks to balance development spending with debt sustainability.

🤝 Government Strategy to Reduce Debt Burden

✅ The finance minister said the government was prioritising:

• 📊 Higher revenue collection — expanding the tax base and improving NBR performance
• 📈 Efficient management of public finances — ensuring borrowed funds translate into productive assets
• 💪 Disciplined debt management — keeping borrowing requirements under control

💰 The government is also taking steps to reduce its reliance on borrowing by increasing its own revenue, while seeking to lower financing requirements through more cost-effective and productive public spending and by curbing unnecessary expenditure, Khosru said.

💬 “The government is also placing greater emphasis on debt management to keep the country’s borrowing requirements under control,” the finance minister told Parliament.

🌏 $81.83 Billion External Borrowings Since 2010

📊 In another response to a question from Lutfor Rahman, Member of Parliament for Cox’s Bazar-3, Khosru said Bangladesh had borrowed $81.83 billion from abroad between 2010 and June 2024 — a 14-year accumulation of external debt that has financed major infrastructure projects including the Padma Bridge, Dhaka Metro Rail, Karnaphuli Underwater Expressway and various power sector investments.

💰 During the same period, the government repaid:

• 💸 $17.11 billion in principal on its external debt
• 💲 $6.04 billion in interest on its external debt

📊 The gap between cumulative borrowing ($81.83 billion) and cumulative repayments ($23.15 billion in principal + interest) means that Bangladesh’s net external debt has grown significantly over the past 14 years — a trajectory that the current government is now seeking to moderate through tighter fiscal discipline.

📈 Strategic Context: Bangladesh Debt Sustainability

📊 The Tk 1.29 lakh per capita debt figure, while meaningful, must be viewed in context:

• 💰 Bangladesh’s debt-to-GDP ratio remains below the internationally recognised sustainability threshold of 40% for low-income countries
• 🌏 The bulk of external borrowing has been directed towards productive infrastructure investment rather than consumption
• 🤝 Concessional financing from multilateral partners including World Bank, ADB, IsDB and JICA has kept borrowing costs relatively low
• 📈 Strong export performance and remittance inflows provide foreign exchange to service external debt

⚠ However, several risks warrant attention:

• 📉 Declining concessionality: As Bangladesh approaches LDC graduation, access to concessional financing will reduce
• 💰 Rising interest costs: Greater reliance on commercial borrowing increases debt service burden
• 📈 Revenue gap: Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains among the lowest in Asia, limiting fiscal space
• 🌏 Currency risk: External debt carries foreign exchange exposure that can amplify servicing costs if the taka depreciates

🌏 Outlook and Implications for Bangladesh Economy

📊 For Bangladesh’s broader economy, the Tk 1.29 lakh per capita debt figure is a reminder that the country’s development gains — including the infrastructure that has driven 6-7% GDP growth over the past decade — have been financed partly through borrowing that will need to be repaid by current and future taxpayers.

✅ The government’s stated strategy of boosting revenue mobilisation, prioritising productive investment and curbing unnecessary expenditure aligns with the policy advice of international financial institutions including the IMF, World Bank and ADB.

💰 For businesses and investors, the key takeaway is that Bangladesh’s fiscal trajectory will depend heavily on the government’s ability to deliver on its revenue mobilisation agenda. Sustained GDP growth, expansion of the tax base through digital invoicing and NBR reform, and disciplined debt management will be essential to keep the debt burden manageable as the country navigates LDC graduation and the next phase of its development journey.

🌏 With the per capita debt figure now a matter of public record, Parliament’s engagement on the issue signals growing scrutiny of fiscal management — a positive development for transparency and accountability in Bangladesh’s public finances.