TDS Desk:

Bangladesh’s economic growth slowed for the third consecutive year, reaching 3.49% in the previous fiscal year (FY25), the lowest rate recorded since the post-Covid recovery period.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) released the final GDP estimates on its website on 26 February. The final growth figure was 48 basis points lower than the provisional estimate.

To put the trend into perspective, GDP growth stood at 7.10% in FY22, after slowing to 5.78% in FY23 and further to 4.22% in FY24. The latest figure suggests a steady deceleration over three years.

During the height of the pandemic in FY20, growth had fallen to 3.45%.

According to the final FY25 estimates, the size of the economy stood at $456 billion. Per capita income increased to $2,769, following two consecutive years of decline.

Sectoral data show that growth in agriculture and services slowed in FY25 compared to the previous fiscal year, while the industrial sector recorded higher growth over the same period.

Previously, based on preliminary data, the growth rate for FY2024–25 had been projected at 3.97%. However, after analysing comprehensive and finalised data, BBS adjusted the figure to 3.49%.

According to the provisional estimates for the fiscal 2024-25, Bangladesh’s GDP growth rate has slowed to 3.97%, compared to 4.22% in the previous fiscal year.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) released the provisional GDP data on its website on 27 May last year.

The growth rate is the lowest since the post-Covid period. During the pandemic, in FY20, the growth rate dropped to 3.45%.