Bangladeshis living and working abroad sent home a record 5.46 billion dollars in 2006, a year-on increase of 28 per cent. The figure is more than 1.21 billion dollars in comparison with 2005.

The record rise is mainly due to more people going abroad with jobs last year, and increased inflow through formal banking channels.

The record remittances helped to increase the country’s foreign exchange reserve to 3.97 billion dollars, the highest since the country became independent in 1971.

According to official figures, more than five million Bangladeshis now live or work abroad, mainly in oil-rich Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.