Sending business payments from the US to Bangladesh
A US company pays a Bangladeshi supplier by SWIFT wire in US dollars to the supplier's account at its authorized dealer (AD) bank in Bangladesh, quoting the invoice and EXP form numbers. Bangladesh Bank requires export proceeds to be repatriated within four months through an AD bank, and treats keeping them abroad as a breach of the law, so pay the supplier's bank in Bangladesh only. This guide covers the details to collect, the rules, rails, documents and fees.
- 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 your payment should quote the EXP number.
- 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.
Details to collect from your recipient in Bangladesh
Bangladeshi accounts are identified by an account number at a named bank and branch, and a wire from abroad needs the bank's SWIFT code. For a domestic taka leg, banks also use a 9-digit routing number unique to each branch, according to the payments provider nsave. Collect everything in writing from the supplier's letterhead or invoice.
| Detail | What to ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | The supplier's registered name, exactly as on its AD bank account | A mismatch causes queries along the chain |
| Account number and branch | As printed on the supplier's bank letter | Identifies the account at the AD bank |
| Bank name and SWIFT code | 8 or 11 characters | Routes the wire |
| Routing number | 9 digits, branch specific | Needed only for a domestic taka transfer |
| Intermediary bank | The US bank the AD uses for dollars, with its SWIFT code | Some US banks ask for it |
| Invoice and EXP numbers | As issued for the shipment | Lets the AD match your payment to the export |
Sources: nsave, BEFTN guide; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26. As published on 29 October 2026.
USD or taka: what Bangladesh Bank requires
Bangladesh Bank sets the rules in circulars issued under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947. Its consolidated export circular of 30 July 2026 sets the timetable your payment has to fit, and it ties each export to the AD bank named on the EXP form, the export declaration. A dollar wire to that bank is the route the rules expect. The US dollar to taka page covers the currency.
| Rule | What it says | What it means for your payment |
|---|---|---|
| Repatriation period | Export proceeds within four months through an AD bank | Pay within the agreed term and well inside four months |
| Proceeds abroad | Retaining export proceeds abroad, other than in authorized accounts, contravenes the FER Act | Do not pay an account outside Bangladesh |
| Raw jute and jute goods | Up to 360 days against an irrevocable confirmed letter of credit or on open account | A longer window for one sector |
| Advance payments | No interest; the export must be completed within one year | Tie advances to a contract |
| Agent commission | Up to 5% of the goods' value may be deducted from proceeds without separate approval | Commissions above that need approval |
| Payment platforms | Service export receipts limited to $10,000 per transaction | Pay larger service invoices by bank wire |
Source: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026 (Part-A, 8, 19, 20 and 22; Part-I). As published on 29 October 2026.
Bangladesh Bank has also warned businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency and keeping them abroad, so a stablecoin request from a Bangladeshi supplier is not a route to agree to. The full supplier-side guide is how to pay suppliers in Bangladesh.
Rails and arrival times to Bangladesh
A dollar wire settles in the United States on Fedwire, which accepts customer transfers until 6:45 p.m. ET and closes at 7:00 p.m. ET on weekdays. Dhaka is 10 hours ahead of New York in the US summer and 11 hours ahead in the US winter, so a wire sent during the US working day reaches the AD after its day has ended. Friday and Saturday are non-working days for domestic clearing in Bangladesh.
| Route | What the recipient receives | Timing, as published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWIFT wire in USD to the AD bank | US dollars, matched to the EXP form | Credited on the next Bangladeshi working day at the earliest | The standard route |
| Letter of credit | US dollars against documents | On presentation of complying documents | Suits larger or first orders |
| Taka payout via BEFTN | Taka | Batch; same-day cut-off of 12:30 p.m. on working days | Only for payments that need not match an EXP form |
| Taka payout via NPSB or RTGS | Taka | NPSB runs 24/7 in real time; RTGS for BDT 100,000 or more | Domestic leg of a taka payout |
Sources: nsave, BEFTN guide; Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26; Federal Reserve Financial Services, Fedwire operating hours. As published on 29 October 2026.
Wise, for example, sends BDT inside Bangladesh by local transfer. Before paying a goods invoice in taka, check with the supplier that its AD bank can link a taka credit to the EXP form, since the export rules assume foreign currency arriving at the AD. The 2026 public holiday list includes Victory Day on Wednesday 16 December and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December.
Documents, screening and why payments to Bangladesh are held
The supplier gives its AD the shipping documents and EXP form within 14 days of shipment; service receipts are declared on Form C, the form that records the purpose of an inward service payment, with up to $20,000 credited without it. Quote the invoice and EXP numbers so the AD can close the file. Helm does not currently provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh; this page covers paying a Bangladeshi supplier from abroad.
Screen before you pay: OFAC's guidance is that every US person, US-incorporated companies and their foreign branches included, must comply with US sanctions, so check the recipient and its bank against OFAC's lists before the first payment (OFAC FAQ 11).
| 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 |
| No invoice or EXP reference | The AD asks the supplier to identify the payment | Quote both in the payment details |
| Payment returned | BDT 1,500 plus SWIFT and correspondent charges at Prime Bank | Confirm details by phone before the first payment |
| Sent before a Friday or holiday | Credited on the next working day | Send early in the US week |
Sources: Bangladesh Bank FEPD-1 Circular No. 26; Prime Bank schedule of charges; The Daily Star, 2026 holiday list. As published on 29 October 2026.
Costs: SHA, OUR and Helm's fees for payments to Bangladesh
Prime Bank's trade services schedule for the second half of 2026 lists export bill collection commission of up to 0.15%, and BDT 1,500 plus SWIFT and correspondent charges to return or cancel an inward transfer. A returned or late payment costs the supplier more than any fee, because it can push the shipment past the four-month deadline. Use OUR when the full invoice amount has to land. For the supplier's account rules, see USD accounts in Bangladesh.
From a Helm account you can send international supplier payments by SWIFT and by local rails in the recipient's currency where available, confirmed by your account manager, with the rate, fee and expected arrival shown before you confirm. Helm is a financial technology company, not a bank; US dollar account services are provided by Bridge Building, Inc. (NMLS ID 2450917), a licensed money transmitter, with funds held at Lead Bank.
Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment. See how Helm pricing works.
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USD, EUR and GBP accounts in your company's name, with a named account manager.
Open accountQuestions
How do I send a business payment from the US to Bangladesh?
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, with OUR charges so the full amount arrives.
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 FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026. Raw jute and jute goods have up to 360 days in some cases.
What is an EXP form?
The EXP form is Bangladesh's export declaration, which links a shipment to the authorized dealer bank that must receive its proceeds. The supplier gives it to that bank with the shipping documents within 14 days of shipment.
Can I pay a Bangladeshi freelancer through a platform?
Yes, within limits. Bangladesh Bank lets authorized dealers work with internationally recognized payment platforms for service export receipts of up to $10,000 per transaction.
What does Helm charge to send money to Bangladesh?
Helm agrees pricing with each business in writing before the account opens, and shows the rate, the fee and the expected arrival before you confirm each payment. Helm does not provide USD account details to companies based in Bangladesh.
References
- Bangladesh Bank: FEPD-1 Circular No. 26 of 30 July 2026, foreign exchange regulations for export trade
- The Financial Express: Central bank warns businesses against accepting export proceeds in cryptocurrency (16 September 2022)
- Prime Bank: Schedule of charges, trade services, 1 July to 31 December 2026
- nsave: BEFTN, what it is and how it works
- The Daily Star: Govt announces official list of public holidays for 2026
- Wise: What currencies can I send to and from?
- Federal Reserve Financial Services: Fedwire Funds Service operating hours
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: FAQ 11, Who must comply with OFAC sanctions?
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.