DHAKA: The foreign exchange reserve of Bangladesh crossed the $21 billion mark for the first time in history, riding on buoyant remittance inflows, moderate exports and declining import payments.

Assistant Spokesperson for the Bangladesh Bank (BB) AFM Asaduzzaman made the disclosure to banglanews on Monday. The reserve stood at $21.3 billion, he added.

On April 10, the reserves first went above the $20 billion mark.

According to central bank records, the last high, on May 6, was $20.57 billion.

BDST: 1745 HRS, JUN 16, 2014