FT ONLINE

Country’s merchandise trade gap with the rest of the world crossed $13 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.

Latest statistics, released by the central bank, showed that deficit in merchandise trade stood at $13.20 billion in July-March period of FY18. The amount was $7.04 billion in the same period of the past fiscal year.

Thus trade deficit registered 87.5 per cent growth during the period under review.

The Bangladesh Bank data also showed that exports registered around 7.0 per cent growth in the first nine months of the current fiscal year while imports surged by 24.50 per cent in the same period.