Bangladesh and Bhutan
Bangladesh and Bhutan reviewed a trade, connectivity and training agenda in August 2026. Consultations included expanded preferential agreement coverage and exploration of a free trade treaty, alongside accelerating a Bhutanese Kurigram economic zone not yet operational.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-08 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-08Bilateral context
Asad Alam Siam and Pema Lektup Dorji chaired the fourth foreign ministry consultations in Dhaka on 18 August 2026.
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, goods trade between Bangladesh and Bhutan totalled 87.1 million current USD.
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, metal ores stands out in shipments from Bangladesh to Bhutan, at 4 million USD in 2025.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 87.08 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Bangladesh to Bhutan | 16.08 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Goods: Bhutan to Bangladesh | 71 M USD | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Bangladesh to Bhutan | ||
| Export share: Bhutan to Bangladesh | 13.67 % | 2025 · Comtrade |
| Investment stock: Bangladesh in Bhutan | ||
| Investment stock: Bhutan in Bangladesh |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BTN. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Bangladesh to Bhutan
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BTN. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Goods: Bhutan to Bangladesh
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Goods; full calendar year; reporter BTN. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF; no addition of mirror declarations. Both directions are identified from the same customs authority.
- Export share: Bhutan to Bangladesh
- 2025 · UN Comtrade · Exports to the partner / worldwide exports by the same reporter; same year and coverage.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
Some annual indicators refer to different years. Check the period beside each value before comparing them.
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Bhutan |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 456.32 billion USD2025 · WB | 3.58 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 2,597.34 USD2025 · WB | 4,492.78 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 3.49 %2025 · WB | 8.01 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | ||
| Inflation · annual average | 8.77 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 3.56 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | ||
| Unemployment | 3.78 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 3.23 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -2.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -2.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 42 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 103.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -0.05 %2025 · WB | -19.4 %2024 · WB |
| Population | 175,686,8992025 · WB | 796,6822025 · WB |
| Area | 147,570 km²2023 · WB | 38,390 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDBangladesh: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personBangladesh: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Bangladesh: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Bangladesh: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · Annual average CPI change (%) · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency stated
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionBangladesh: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Bangladesh: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Bhutan: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Bangladesh: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.Bhutan: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPBangladesh: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2024 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Population
- PeopleBangladesh: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2025 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceBangladesh: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.Bhutan: 2023 · World Bank · Annual World Bank observation, with its original year; not monthly data.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Bangladesh to Bhutan
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Metal ores | 4 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 0.256 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 0.0249 M USD2025 · Source |
| Vehicles and components | 0.00731 M USD2025 · Source |
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 0.00153 M USD2025 · Source |
Bhutan to Bangladesh
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Metal ores | 0.000404 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Both governments agreed to strengthen political visits and regular contacts alongside culture, tourism, agriculture, education, youth and sporting cooperation. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Bangladesh living in Bhutan | ||
| Residents from Bhutan living in Bangladesh | ||
| Study and training: Bangladesh in Bhutan | ||
| Study and training: Bhutan in Bangladesh | ||
| Academic stays: Bangladesh in Bhutan | ||
| Academic stays: Bhutan in Bangladesh | ||
| Travel: Bangladesh to Bhutan | ||
| Travel: Bhutan to Bangladesh |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The scale of both economies
Nominal GDP for Bangladesh is 456.3 billion USD (2025), compared with 3.6 for Bhutan (2025). The reference populations are 175.69 and 0.797 million, respectively. In the same year, the economy of Bangladesh was 127.49 times that of Bhutan in nominal GDP. The comparison provides context on market size, but does not, on its own, measure influence, well-being or diplomatic closeness. Estimates and their sources retain their labels in the tables. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Review: 2026-10-08
Bilateral context
Asad Alam Siam and Pema Lektup Dorji chaired the fourth foreign ministry consultations in Dhaka on 18 August 2026. Both governments agreed to strengthen political visits and regular contacts alongside culture, tourism, agriculture, education, youth and sporting cooperation. [1]
Cooperation and bilateral issues
On trade, they proposed expanding existing preferential agreement products and studying a free trade treaty’s possibility; they announced no concluded new treaty. Bangladesh expressed Gelephu Mindfulness City interest and reiterated accelerating commissioning of Bhutan’s special economic zone in Kurigram. These initiatives remained objectives and opportunities. SAARC and BIMSTEC regional integration and next consultations in Thimphu on a date to be agreed were also examined. [1]
What merchandise trade shows
In 2025, merchandise trade between the two countries (Bangladesh and Bhutan) totalled 87.1 million current USD. Shipments from the first to the second were 16.1 million; those in the opposite direction, 71 million. The difference between the two flows was 54.9 million, in favour of Bhutan. This is a goods balance, not the total balance of the economic relationship: it excludes services, income and transfers. Both directions come from a single customs reporter to avoid adding mirror records. [2]
The partner's share of exports
Sales from Bhutan to the partner represented 13.67% of its worldwide goods exports in 2025. The share compares the same reporter, year and coverage. It measures export concentration, not the percentage of GDP dependent on this relationship. A partner may be important in a specific sector even if its share of total goods trade is small. [2]
Documented trade sectors
Within the selected chapters, metal ores stands out in shipments from Bangladesh to Bhutan, at 4 million USD in 2025. Within the selected chapters, metal ores stands out in shipments from Bhutan to Bangladesh, at 0.000404 million USD in 2025. The table compares eight selected chapters with the same coverage as the trade total. It is not a complete list or proof that the first item in this selection is the leading product across the entire relationship. A chapter groups numerous goods: machinery and components, for example, do not describe a single business transaction. [3]
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Institutional sources and periods accompany each figure. Annual trade, investment positions, residents and visits are distinct measures. Empty cells do not mean zero. Statements of intent are not presented as project implementation or treaties in force.
- Bilateral relations — BGD-BTN
mofa.gov.bd · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record
UN Comtrade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-08
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — gdp
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official series — population
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade
2026-10-08 · Accessed: 2026-10-08 · Bounded matrix; reporter, partner, year, chapter and direction identified in each record.