Imports rose by 17.48 per cent in terms of LCs opened in first seven months of the current fiscal year, according to statistics of Bangladesh Bank.

The central bank says import LCs worth Tk 32701.55 crore (US$ 5647.94 million) were opened by authorised dealer banks during July 2002-January 2003 period.

The increment is 17.48 per cent in terms of US dollar and 19.13 per cent in terms of taka from the level of the same period of the previous fiscal (20012002).

Food grains import saw 188.75 per cent increment, consumer goods 62.25 percent, industrial raw materials 16.81 per cent, POL 29.46 per cent and capital machinery 49.17 per cent.

LCs worth Tk 664.55 crore were opened for import of rice, 828.68 crore for wheat, 569.31 crore for sugar, 456.69 for pulses and 1346.34 crore for edible oil during the period.