Bangladesh has recorded a 17% increase in the import of nine essential consumer goods ahead of the upcoming Ramadan, according to a recent Bangladesh Bank report. The imported items include sugar, soybean oil, pulses, chickpeas, peas, onions, garlic, ginger, and dates. Among these, pea imports surged by 294%, while date imports rose by 231%. In contrast, onion imports dropped by 99%, and garlic and ginger imports declined by 89% and 22%, respectively. The central bank attributed the overall rise in imports to stable dollar supply and policy measures facilitating trade. To ensure adequate supply and price stability during Ramadan, Bangladesh Bank has instructed commercial banks to maintain minimal cash margins for opening letters of credit (LCs) on ten key commodities until March 2026. Officials expect that these measures will prevent shortages and may even lower prices if market monitoring remains effective.