Bangladesh’s total foreign debt rose to 113.51 billion dollars by the end of December 2025, marking the highest level on record. According to the latest Bangladesh Bank report released on Tuesday, the debt increased by 1.30 billion dollars in the last quarter of the year. At the end of September, the figure stood at 112.21 billion dollars. When the Awami League government left office, the debt was 103.41 billion dollars, meaning it grew by 10 billion dollars during the 18 months of the interim government.

The report shows that both public and private sector debts increased between October and December. Government debt rose from 92.55 billion to 93.46 billion dollars, while private sector debt climbed from 19.65 billion to 20.05 billion dollars. Economists noted that foreign borrowing had been rising for years, driven by large infrastructure projects such as metro rail, power plants, and expressways. The interim government also borrowed externally to cover salary payments during its first year.

Former World Bank economist Zahid Hossain said most of the debt is government-held and warned that misuse of borrowed funds could undermine repayment capacity, even though the debt-to-GDP ratio remains manageable.