Imports of textiles fell 15.1 percent to 167.9 million US dollars in August with petroleum imports at 496.6 million US dollars just 0.8 percent up from a year earlier.
Consumer goods including motor cars fell 22.9 percent to 224.7 million US dollars.
Investment goods imports rose 25.3 percent to 257.6 million US dollars but building material imports rose just 1.2 percent to 101.4 million US dollars.
The trade gap expanded 4.3 percent to 921 million US dollars in August.
In the eight months to August exports fell 5.7 percent to 6.59 billion US dollars and imports were flat at 12.8 billion US dollars, easing just 0.2 percent.
The trade gap expanded 6.3 percent to 6.2 billion US dollars.
Shrinking external trade, in the form of falling exports and imports, point to a slowing economy.A trade gap is caused by a people in a country receiving foreign earnings above merchandise exports, such as remittances and tourism.
Net inflows from the capital accounts such as foreign borrowings and foreign direct investments also expand the trade gap when the recipients buy imported goods.
The central bank said worker remittances rose 15.6 percent to 3.9 billion US dollars, up to August, investments into stocks were 451 million US dollars and commercial banks borrowed 927 million abroad.
Up to June foreign direct investments were 451 million US dollars. The state had also borrowed 4.2 billion US dollars.
Update II
