Dhaka, Nov. 29 -- External debt to the country's private sector declined in the past fiscal year (FY20) mainly due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

Statistics available with Bangladesh Bank showed that outstanding stock of the private sector external debt dropped to US$14.08 billion at the end of June this year from $14.21 billion at the end of June 2019.

Thus, external debt in net term declined by $115.60 million in the past fiscal year.

Bangladesh Bank statistics also showed that short-term external debt in the private sector declined by $388.30 million during the period under review while the long-term external debt increased by $272.70 million.

Among the long-term debt, commercial borrowing increased by 23.40 per cent in the last fisc...