Dhaka, March 21 -- Bangladesh's total external debt surpassed the $100 billion mark in December 2023 -- a rise of over 4.0 per cent, as this increase is primarily driven by a growing appetite for foreign funds especially by the public sector.

While the debt remains below the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) recommended ceiling, the current macroeconomic context, marked by a rapid depletion of foreign exchange reserves, causes concerns.

According to the latest Bangladesh Bank data, the country's overall outstanding external debt reached $100.64 billion by December 2023. This represents a 4.24 per cent increase from $96.55 billion in September and $98.11 billion in June of the same year.

The figures show a further increase from $95.73...