Bangladesh, Oct. 27 -- Bangladesh paid more than twice as much in external debt principal and interest as it received in foreign aid during the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The increased payments put additional pressure on the country's external financing position amid a sharp decline in loan disbursements, officials said on Monday.

The government paid US$1.35 billion in principal and interest on medium- to long-term loans (MLTs) during July-September of FY2026-27, according to provisional data from the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

The development partners disbursed $662.31 million in grants and loans over the same period.

The debt-servicing bill was approximately 2.04 times the amount of aid disbursed, leaving a g...