A scammer dies, but the rot in Bangladesh’s banks lives on
The Hallmark scam was the largest loan scam involving Sonali Bank at that time
1 December 2025, 13:53 PM
BB board clears winding up of nine non-banks
Governor says govt verbally approved Tk 5,000cr to pay depositors; Sammilito Islami Bank gets licence
30 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Bad loans continue to break records
Defaulted loans in the banking sector rose further to Tk 6.44 lakh crore, or nearly 36 percent of total disbursed loans, at the end of September, indicating the continued fragile state of the country’s financial sector.
26 November 2025, 18:10 PM
Bank Asia ramps up retail-SME drive, bets on digital banking
Bank Asia plans to accelerate the expansion of retail and SME lending, strengthen its presence at home and abroad, widen its agent network, and continue leading digital innovation in the coming years. The private bank wants to expand SME and retail loans to at least 50 percent of the total portfolio within the next three years.
26 November 2025, 18:00 PM
Bank merger: employees to face salary, benefit cuts
Today, fresh Tk 350 crore liquidity support approved for the to-be-merged banks, taking the total to Tk 35,300 crore
26 November 2025, 15:42 PM
Defaulted loans double to a record Tk 6.44 lakh crore in a year
This is the highest bad loan ratio since 2000
26 November 2025, 09:31 AM
Default loans hit 34%, highest in 25 years
NPLs reach their highest level since 2000, reflecting irresponsible lending, political influence under previous regime
25 November 2025, 19:29 PM
BB yet to release Q2 bad loan data
Bangladesh Bank has not published the banking sector’s classified loan data for the April-June quarter even five months after it ended, leaving analysts without a clear picture of the sector’s condition.
24 November 2025, 19:40 PM
A rush to heal exposed banking wounds
In October, a video on social media showed the manager of Social Islami Bank’s Agargaon branch breaking down in tears after enduring harsh verbal abuse from frustrated customers seeking to withdraw cash.
28 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Agrani Bank’s health deteriorated fast in last five years
Once a reputable state-run commercial lender, Agrani Bank saw its financial health deteriorate fast over the past five years, mainly due to massive lending to politically backed businesses, mismanagement by the board and fallouts of Covid-19.
26 December 2024, 18:00 PM
S Alam-linked firms account for 56% of loans from First Security
Companies linked to the controversial S Alam Group took out 56 percent of the total disbursed loans of First Security Islami Bank (FSIB), one of six Shariah-based lenders controlled by the Chattogram-based business giant.
25 December 2024, 18:00 PM
BB waiting for law to sue Nagad
The Bangladesh Bank is waiting for the interim government to bring a Payment and Settlement System Act, 2024 into effect, as it intends to take legal action against mobile financial service (MFS) provider Nagad Ltd over alleged irregularities.
24 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Forex market volatile again on Ramadan import rush, overdue LCs
After a five-month pause, dollar rates have started to rise, prompting the central bank to question the managing directors of 13 banks about the fresh volatility of the greenback.
22 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Explanations sought from 13 banks for higher dollar rate
BB issued letters on Dec 19 and the deadline for explanation ends today
22 December 2024, 13:43 PM
First Security Islami Bank: Almost 90pc of Tk 2,254cr loan to Sikder Group sours
As much as 89.3 percent of the credit extended by First Security Islami Bank, when controlled by the major Awami League beneficiary S Alam Group, to AL-affiliated Sikder Group by violating banking rules and regulations has become defaulted.
19 December 2024, 18:01 PM
Padma Bank seeks Tk 1,300cr bailout
Problem-ridden Padma Bank has applied to the Bangladesh Bank for Tk 1,300 crore in liquidity support to mitigate its crisis and strengthen its ability to repay depositors.
19 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Six private banks see bad loans nearly triple in a year
Defaulted loans at six private commercial banks nearly tripled in one year till September 2024, according to central bank data, which bankers term “alarming”.
17 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Janata allowed to lend more to defaulter Beximco
State-run Janata Bank has been partly exempted from the Bank Companies Act-1991 so that it can lend money to Beximco Group, a loan defaulter.
14 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Consumer financing slows amid economic hardship, uncertainty
Consumer financing has slowed as people are adopting a go-slow strategy for taking loans, considering the increasing trend of interest rates amid ongoing inflationary pressure.
12 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Banks shun old-time Motijheel for glitzy Gulshan
Motijheel is losing its historic lustre as Dhaka’s commercial hub, with Gulshan, among the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the capital, stealing its thunder.
6 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Janata moves to recover Tk 1,260cr from AnonTex
Janata Bank is set to auction the mortgaged assets of Simran Composite Ltd
5 December 2024, 18:00 PM
FDI data overstated by $5.7b in four years
The Bangladesh Bank overstated the net foreign direct investment data by $5.7 billion between fiscal 2019-20 and 2022-23.
3 December 2024, 18:23 PM
BB reverts to bank bailout despite inflation worries
The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has backtracked on its decision to refrain from injecting fresh funds into crisis-hit banks in its efforts to curb persistent inflation.
28 November 2024, 18:00 PM
BB’s leniency to blame for ailing banking sector
Banking rules and regulations stipulate a single borrower exposure limit but the banking regulator itself disregarded the rule routinely in the last 16 years.
23 November 2024, 18:00 PM
AB Bank’s health shows no signs of improvement
Once a reputable private commercial lender, AB Bank’s financial health is now deteriorating gradually due to boardroom mismanagement, loan irregularities, illegal facilities availed by its sponsors and inaccurate measures by the central bank.
23 November 2024, 18:00 PM
Social Islami Bank has no ‘untraceable’ loans
Social Islami Bank PLC stands out among crisis-hit banks with no “untraceable” loans, a factor that will catalyse its swift recovery, according to M Sadiqul Islam, the new chairman of the Shariah-based lender.
20 November 2024, 18:00 PM
Bank owners’ forum was useless during AL time
The Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), the private bank owners’ forum, will work with the central bank governor and the finance adviser to rejuvenate the banking sector, weakened under 15 years of Awami League rule, said its new chairman Abdul Hai Sarker.
19 November 2024, 18:00 PM
Defaulted loans may double next year
The defaulted loan figure is set to double as the Bangladesh Bank is set to tighten the classification rules for all types of loans by March next year to meet the International Monetary Fund’s loan conditions.
19 November 2024, 18:00 PM