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The cost of printing banknotes in Bangladesh nearly doubled in the 2025–26 fiscal year, rising to Tk458.93 crore from Tk234.79 crore a year earlier, according to Bangladesh Bank data.
The Tk224.14 crore increase represents a 96% rise and marks the highest banknote-printing expenditure in the past five years.
Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan attributed the sharp rise mainly to higher global prices of specialised security paper and ink, as well as supply-chain disruptions.
He said the limited number of suppliers of these specialised materials leaves little room for price negotiations.
Although Bangladesh has begun introducing redesigned banknotes following the 2024 political change, Arif said the redesigns were not a major factor behind the higher costs.
The central bank spent Tk337.29 crore on banknote printing in 2023–24, Tk374.04 crore in 2022–23 and Tk384.25 crore in 2021–22.