How to pay suppliers in Bangladesh from the US: USD wires, EXP forms and deadlines
To pay a supplier in Bangladesh, send US dollars by SWIFT wire to the supplier's authorized dealer bank in Bangladesh, using its account number, branch and SWIFT code and quoting the invoice and EXP form numbers. Bangladesh Bank requires export proceeds to come home through that bank within four months, so pay the account the supplier names, with OUR charges. This guide covers the details to collect, the 2026 rules, rails, holidays, published fees and why payments are returned.
- Bangladesh Bank's FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026 requires export proceeds to be repatriated within four months through an authorized dealer bank.
- The same circular states that retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
- Shipping documents and the EXP form must reach the supplier's authorized dealer within 14 days of shipment, and the payment should quote the EXP form number.
- As reported in July 2026, ICT freelancers may keep up to 50% of export earnings in dollars, other service exporters up to 30%, and goods exporters with high import content up to 15%.
- Service export receipts through online payment platforms are limited to $10,000 per transaction under the 2026 circular.
- Prime Bank's July to December 2026 schedule charges BDT 1,500 plus SWIFT and correspondent charges to return or cancel an inward transfer.
USD or BDT: which currency should you pay?
Pay in the currency on the supplier's invoice, and expect the supplier to want it paid to its own bank in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bank sets the rules in circulars issued under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 (FER Act). Its consolidated export circular, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026, requires export proceeds to be repatriated within four months, through an authorized dealer (AD), a bank licensed by Bangladesh Bank to deal in foreign exchange (Bangladesh Bank, FEPD-1 Circular No. 26).
The same circular states that retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes the FER Act. So a Bangladeshi supplier will ask you to pay its AD bank in Bangladesh, not an account abroad or a third party. That request is a legal requirement on its side, not a preference.
When the dollars arrive, the supplier keeps a set share in an Export Retention Quota (ERQ) account, a foreign currency account at its AD bank, and the encashable rest is converted to taka (BDT) by the following business day. Bangladesh Bank revised the ERQ limits in July 2026.
| Supplier type | Share it may keep in dollars (ERQ) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ICT freelancers | Up to 50% of export earnings | The Financial Express, 22 July 2026 |
| Other service exporters | Up to 30% | The Financial Express, 22 July 2026 |
| Merchandise exporters of goods with high import content | Up to 15% of the repatriated FOB value, raised from 7.5% | The Daily Ittefaq, 22 July 2026 |
| All exporters | The rest is encashed into taka by the following business day, unless exempted | FEPD-1 Circular No. 26, Part-A, 19(3) |
Sources: The Financial Express; The Daily Ittefaq; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026; as published on 29 October 2026.
FOB, free on board, is the value of goods loaded at the port of shipment, excluding freight and insurance to the destination. Paying in taka from abroad is possible through some providers: Wise lists BDT as a currency it can send to, within Bangladesh, by local transfer (Wise). For goods, ask the supplier first whether its AD bank can match a taka payout to the shipment, because the export rules are written around foreign currency received by the AD.
Details to collect from a Bangladeshi supplier
Collect the payment details once, in writing, on the supplier's letterhead or commercial invoice. Bangladeshi accounts are identified by an account number at a named bank and branch. For an international wire you need the bank's SWIFT code, the 8 or 11 character code that identifies a bank on the SWIFT network. For a domestic leg in taka, the supplier's bank also uses a routing number: 9 digits, unique to each branch and issued by Bangladesh Bank, according to the payments provider nsave (nsave, BEFTN guide).
| Detail | Example or format | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | The supplier's registered name, exactly as on its AD bank account | A mismatch causes queries along the chain |
| Beneficiary address | Full street address in Bangladesh | Required on SWIFT wires |
| Account number and branch | As printed on the supplier's bank letter | Identifies the account at the AD bank |
| Bank name and SWIFT/BIC code | 8 or 11 characters | Routes the wire to the right bank |
| Routing number | 9 digits, branch specific | Needed only for a domestic taka transfer |
| Intermediary (correspondent) bank | The US bank the AD uses for dollars, with its SWIFT code | Some US banks ask for it |
| Invoice number and EXP form number | As issued for the shipment | Lets the AD match your payment to the export |
| Export Registration Certificate (ERC) and TIN | From the supplier's registration documents | Confirms you are paying a registered exporter |
Sources: nsave, BEFTN guide; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26; as published on 29 October 2026. Field list compiled by the Helm Editorial Team.
The EXP form is the export declaration that links a shipment to the AD bank that must receive its proceeds. The ERC is the registration that allows a company to export, and the TIN is its Taxpayer Identification Number. Treat any change of bank details as a fraud risk, and confirm new details by calling a contact you already know. Our SWIFT code lookup helps confirm the bank code.
Bangladesh Bank export rules that affect your payment
Circular No. 26 sets the timetable your payment has to fit. The rules below come from it unless marked otherwise.
| Rule | What it says | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Repatriation period | Export proceeds within four months; failure without authorization exposes the exporter to action under the FER Act | Part-A, 8(1) |
| Raw jute and jute goods | Up to 360 days against an irrevocable confirmed letter of credit or on open account | Part-A, 8(2) |
| Shipping documents | Documents and the EXP form must reach the AD within 14 days of shipment | Part-A, 19(4) |
| Advance payments | No interest; export must be completed within one year of the advance | Part-A, 22 |
| Agent commission | Up to 5% of the goods' value may be deducted from proceeds without separate approval | Part-A, 20(1) |
| Service payments | Encashed on receipt of online Form C; up to $20,000 may be credited without Form C | Part-H, 2(c) |
| Payment platforms (OPGSPs) | Service export receipts limited to $10,000 per transaction | Part-I, 3(b) |
| Small e-commerce exports | Mobile financial service and payment service providers may handle goods proceeds up to $1,000 without an EXP form, subject to conditions | FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025 |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026; FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025; as published on 29 October 2026.
Form C is the form used to declare the purpose of an inward service payment. An OPGSP, an online payment gateway service provider, is an internationally recognized payment platform that Bangladesh Bank lets ADs work with for small service receipts. For a buyer, the practical points are simple: pay within the agreed term and well inside four months of shipment, pay the AD named on the EXP form, and keep advance payments tied to a contract with shipment due within a year.
How the money moves: SWIFT, letters of credit and local rails
A payment from a US account reaches a Bangladeshi bank as an international wire. Your bank sends it over SWIFT, the global messaging network banks use for cross-border payments, and the dollars settle in the United States on Fedwire through the AD's correspondent. Every SWIFT wire carries a charges instruction: OUR means you pay all bank charges, SHA means each side pays its own bank, and BEN means all charges come out of the amount sent.
| Route | Currency the supplier receives | Who it suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWIFT wire to the supplier's AD bank | USD | Goods and service exporters | The standard route; quote the invoice and EXP numbers |
| Letter of credit | USD | Goods exporters and larger orders | The AD advises the credit; documents must match exactly |
| Payment platform (OPGSP) | USD, settled through an AD | Freelancers and small service firms | Up to $10,000 per transaction |
| Taka local payout | BDT | Payments that do not need to match an EXP form | Wise sends BDT within Bangladesh by local transfer |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26; Wise, currencies you can send to; as published on 29 October 2026.
A letter of credit is a bank's promise to pay the supplier when the shipping documents match the agreed terms. Inside Bangladesh, taka moves on three systems run under Bangladesh Bank: BEFTN, a batch system with a same-day cut-off of 12:30 p.m. on working days; RTGS, the real-time gross settlement system for payments of BDT 100,000 or more; and NPSB, which runs 24/7 in real time, according to nsave's guide (nsave). These matter only for the last leg of a taka payout; a dollar wire to the AD does not use them.
Helm sends international payments to suppliers by SWIFT from the buyer's own account, and shows the rate, fee and expected arrival before you send. Helm does not currently provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh, and its USDC and USDT features are not a route for paying Bangladeshi suppliers: Bangladesh Bank has warned businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency (The Financial Express, 16 September 2022).
Cut-offs, working days and holidays
On the US side, the Fedwire Funds Service accepts customer transfers until 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time and closes at 7:00 p.m. ET (Federal Reserve Financial Services). Your bank's cut-off for international wires is earlier.
Domestic BEFTN submissions made on a Friday, a Saturday or a public holiday roll to the next working day, according to nsave, so plan for Friday and Saturday as non-working days in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is many hours ahead of New York, so a wire you send during the US working day usually reaches the AD after its day has ended and is credited on the next Bangladeshi working day. The four-month repatriation period runs from shipment, so pay early around holidays.
| Date | Closed | Plan for |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 11 November 2026 | US Fedwire (Veterans Day) | Send US wires by 10 November |
| Thursday 26 November 2026 | US Fedwire (Thanksgiving) | Send US wires by 25 November |
| Wednesday 16 December 2026 | Bangladesh (Victory Day) | Wires credited the next Bangladeshi working day |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | Both (Christmas Day) | Send year-end payments by 23 December |
| Friday 1 January 2027 | US Fedwire (New Year's Day) | Send US wires by 31 December |
Sources: Government list of public holidays for 2026, as reported by The Daily Star; Federal Reserve holiday schedule K.8; as published on 29 October 2026. Holidays that depend on the moon may move.
Fees as published
A payment to Bangladesh can carry four costs: your provider's sending fee, the exchange rate if you convert, intermediary deductions on a SWIFT wire, and the AD's charges to the supplier. Bangladeshi banks publish schedules of charges. The examples below are from Prime Bank's trade services schedule for 1 July to 31 December 2026.
| Item | Published charge | Who pays it |
|---|---|---|
| Collection of clean inward instruments (Prime Bank) | Nil to 0.15%; Tk. 500 if there is only an exchange gain | Supplier |
| Export bill collection commission (Prime Bank) | Up to 0.15%; Tk. 500 if there is only an exchange gain | Supplier |
| Advising a foreign bank's letter of credit (Prime Bank) | Tk. 750 | Supplier |
| Payment reminder on a foreign export bill (Prime Bank) | USD 5 plus SWIFT at actual | Supplier |
| Return or cancellation of an inward transfer (Prime Bank) | BDT 1,500 plus SWIFT and correspondent charges | Supplier, unless agreed otherwise |
| EXP extension processing (Prime Bank) | Tk. 500 per approval | Supplier |
| Intermediary banks | Deducted in transit on SHA and BEN wires | Whoever the charges code assigns |
| Helm | Agreed in writing before the account opens | Buyer |
Source: Prime Bank, schedule of charges for trade services, 1 July to 31 December 2026, as published on 29 October 2026. Other banks set their own charges.
A returned transfer costs the supplier money and time, and a late one can push it past the four-month deadline, so getting the details right is worth more than shaving the fee. Send with OUR charges when the supplier must receive the full invoice amount. Helm agrees pricing with each business before the account opens; speak to the team.
Common reasons payments are delayed or returned
| Problem | What happens | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to an account abroad or a third party | The supplier cannot count it as repatriated proceeds | Pay the supplier's AD bank in Bangladesh only |
| Wrong AD bank for the shipment | The AD on the EXP form cannot close the export | Ask which bank holds the EXP form before paying |
| Beneficiary name does not match | Correspondent or AD queries or returns the payment | Use the registered name exactly as on the account |
| No invoice or EXP reference | The AD asks the supplier to identify the payment | Quote both in the payment reference |
| Payment returned | The AD charges for the return, and the amount can change | Confirm details by phone before the first payment |
| Payment offered in USDT or USDC | Bangladesh Bank has warned against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency | Pay by bank wire |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26; Prime Bank schedule of charges; The Financial Express; as published on 29 October 2026.
If a wire has left but not arrived, ask your bank for the UETR (Unique End-to-end Transaction Reference), the tracking code that stays the same along the whole SWIFT chain, and send it to the supplier with your payment confirmation.
Step by step: paying a supplier in Bangladesh
- Agree the currency and terms. Set USD, the payment term and OUR charges in the contract.
- Collect details once. Get the registered name, address, account number, branch, SWIFT code and correspondent details in writing.
- Verify by phone. Confirm the details with a known contact before the first payment and after any change.
- Ask for the EXP form number. Pay the AD bank that holds it.
- Check the quote. Compare the rate, fee and expected arrival before you confirm.
- Time it. Pay well inside four months of shipment and away from Bangladeshi and US holidays.
- Send proof. Share the UETR and SWIFT confirmation with the invoice and EXP numbers.
- Reconcile. Match the payment to the invoice and keep both for your records.
For the account rules on the supplier's side, see USD accounts in Bangladesh. If you also buy from Pakistan, read how to pay suppliers in Pakistan.
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Open accountQuestions
What is the best way to pay a supplier in Bangladesh from the US?
Send US dollars by SWIFT wire to the supplier's account at its authorized dealer bank in Bangladesh, quoting the invoice and EXP form numbers. Use OUR charges so the supplier receives the full amount.
What bank details do I need to pay a Bangladeshi supplier?
You need the supplier's registered name and address, its account number and branch, the bank's name and SWIFT code, and the bank's US correspondent if your bank asks for it. A 9-digit routing number is needed only for a domestic transfer in taka.
Can I pay a Bangladeshi supplier's account outside Bangladesh?
The supplier is unlikely to accept it. Bangladesh Bank's July 2026 export circular states that retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947.
How long does a Bangladeshi supplier have to receive payment?
Export proceeds must be repatriated within four months under Bangladesh Bank's FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026. Raw jute and jute goods have up to 360 days against an irrevocable confirmed letter of credit or on open account.
What is an EXP form?
The EXP form is Bangladesh's export declaration form, which links a shipment to the authorized dealer bank that must receive its proceeds. The supplier must give the shipping documents and EXP form to that bank within 14 days of shipment.
Can I pay a Bangladeshi supplier in advance?
Yes. Under the 2026 circular, advance receipts carry no interest and the export must be completed within one year of the advance. Tie the advance to a signed contract or proforma invoice.
Can I pay a Bangladeshi freelancer through a platform?
Yes. Bangladesh Bank lets authorized dealers work with internationally recognized payment platforms for service export receipts, limited to $10,000 per transaction, and ICT freelancers may keep up to 50% of earnings in dollars.
Can I pay a supplier in Bangladesh with USDT?
No. Bangladesh Bank has stated that it does not permit transactions to obtain virtual assets, and has warned businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency. Pay by bank wire.
Why did my Bangladeshi supplier receive less than I sent?
Correspondent and intermediary banks can deduct fees from a wire sent with SHA or BEN charges, and the supplier's bank applies its own charges. Sending with OUR charges makes you responsible for the transfer fees, so the invoice amount arrives.
References
- Bangladesh Bank: FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026, foreign exchange regulations for export trade
- Bangladesh Bank: FE Circular No. 43 of 5 November 2025, small value export proceeds (Bangladesh Trade Portal)
- The Financial Express: BB streamlines foreign exchange rules to facilitate freelancers (22 July 2026)
- Prime Bank: Schedule of charges, trade services, 1 July to 31 December 2026
- The Daily Star: Govt announces official list of public holidays for 2026
- Wise: What currencies can I send to and from?
- nsave: BEFTN, what it is and how it works
- Federal Reserve Financial Services: Fedwire Funds Service operating hours
This guide is general information for businesses, not financial, legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and timings were checked against the sources listed on the review date and may change.