DHAKA: Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves rose $614 million to $10.193 billion at the end of April from the previous month, the central bank said on Wednesday.

The reserves may have partly been boosted a loan from the International Monetary Fund. The fund last month approved a three-year $987 million loan, of which $141 million was disbursed immediately.

Foreign exchange reserves rose to a record $11.32 billion in April 2011 but have since dropped because of rising imports, mainly oil, while exports and remittances have grown more slowly as the global economy remained weak.

Forex reserves were at $9.579 billion in March.