Pharmaceutical, Chicken Companies Top Forex Users List

Pharmaceutical and chicken companies have been the primary users of foreign exchange (forex) funds obtained from the EximBank over the past five years. The funds were allocated under the special forex window of the EximBank’s Forex Allocation System, established during the Covid-19 pandemic for essential imports. Detailed documents reveal a comprehensive report being compiled with data from the EximBank and other sources for the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism. Data shows major companies secured the most forex, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) behind. The EximBank distributed US$1.4 billion in forex to 123 companies from 2020 to mid-2025. A separate US$1.2 billion was sold to manufacturers under normal operations between 2018 and June 2025. The special forex window was initially temporary, but was resumed after public outcry in a restructured format. The new government promised to address the ongoing forex crisis and compile a comprehensive report on forex distribution over the last decade. The Prime Minister insisted on changes to ensure SMEs gain fairer access to forex.