United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Bank has won two international awards—the 'AFI Maya Declaration Commitment Award 2026' and the 'AFI Gender Inclusive Finance Champion Institution'—for its outstanding contributions to advancing financial inclusion and empowering women through institutional policies. The central bank received the honors at the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) Global Policy Forum (GPF) held on September 3 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Habibur Rahman accepted both awards on behalf of the institution. According to a press release issued on Thursday by Bangladesh Bank’s Department of Communications and Publications, the central bank achieved the 'AFI Maya Declaration Commitment Award 2026' after successfully meeting specific annual targets set for financial inclusion. These targets were jointly pursued by relevant central bank departments, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), and the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) under the Maya Declaration framework. Notably, Bangladesh Bank won this same award in 2025 as well. Additionally, Bangladesh Bank was named an 'AFI Gender Inclusive Finance Champion Institution' in recognition of its institutional commitments and innovative measures in furthering women's financial inclusion under the targets of the Denarau Action Plan. AFI is a global network of financial policymakers and regulatory institutions. Currently, 89 institutions and regulatory bodies from 82 countries—including central banks, ministries of finance, and financial sector regulators—are members of AFI. The annual GPF event recognizes members for exceptional contributions across various categories. This year's forum brought together over 700 delegates, including central bank governors, deputy governors, policymakers, and financial inclusion partners from around the world.

Deposits mobilized through banking sub-branches rose by 5.7 percent to Tk 84,263 crore at the end of June 2026, up from Tk 79,717 crore in March 2026, according to the latest report of Bangladesh Bank. A bank sub-branch is a small, subordinate banking office that operates under the supervision of a nearby main (full-fledged) branch to provide basic financial services at a lower operational cost. The central bank’s quarterly report on scheduled banks' sub-branches showed that sub-branch deposit growth significantly outpaced the overall banking sector’s deposit growth of 2.4 percent during the April–June period. The share of sub-branch deposits in total banking sector deposits edged up to 3.8 percent in June from 3.7 percent in March. Rural areas contributed 33.9 percent of the total sub-branch deposits, up from 32.8 percent in the previous quarter. The total number of deposit accounts expanded by 5.9 percent, rising to 8,969,198 in June from 8,473,697 in March. Women's account ownership grew slightly, accounting for 38.4 percent of total deposit accounts compared to 38.2 percent in the previous quarter. However, the total share of deposit amounts held in women's accounts declined from 26.2 percent to 25.9 percent. In contrast to deposit growth, outstanding loans and advances disbursed through sub-branches declined by 7.7 percent to Tk 20,602 crore at the end of June 2026, down from Tk 22,309 crore in March 2026. This contraction occurred despite a 1.4 percent growth in aggregate lending across the broader banking sector. Sub-branch loans accounted for 1.1 percent of total aggregate loans disbursed by scheduled banks as of June 2026. The rural share of sub-branch loans rose to 35.8 percent from 31.8 percent, indicating stronger loan distribution in rural areas relative to urban centers. The total number of loan accounts fell by 5.3 percent to 240,010 from 253,512. Women borrowers saw their share of total loan amounts increase to 14.7 percent from 14.0 percent, while their share of loan accounts rose to 18.9 percent from 18.3 percent. During the April–June quarter, 30 new rural sub-branches and 19 urban sub-branches were opened, while eight sub-branches were closed or merged. Consequently, the total number of sub-branches reached 5,033 operating across 50 scheduled banks at the end of June, up from 4,992 in March. Rural sub-branches represented 49.5 percent of the total network. Geographically, Dhaka district hosted the highest number of sub-branches at 1,007, followed by Chattogram 470, Comilla 218, Narayanganj 170, and Gazipur 168. Among scheduled banks, IFIC Bank PLC operated the largest network with 1,224 sub-branches, followed by NRBC Bank PLC 688, Dutch-Bangla Bank PLC 350, Pubali Bank PLC 281, and Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC 271.

Bangladesh Bank is set to begin releasing funds to small depositors of Sammilito Islami Bank starting from tomorrow (September 7), following the receipt of over 25,000 applications since conditional withdrawal applications opened on September 1. The central bank expects the total number of applicants to rise further as applications remain open through Sunday. Executive Director and Spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, Arif Hossain Khan, told UNB that application gathering was initiated to determine the exact number of small depositors seeking withdrawals and the total funds required. "Primary estimates show the number of applicants has crossed 25,000. Once the total daily applications and fund requirements are finalized today, appropriate financial arrangements will be completed to commence distributions starting tomorrow (Monday)," he stated. Bangladesh Bank urged depositors to avoid crowding bank branches or creating chaos during the payout process. It requested individuals without urgent cash needs to visit branches in subsequent days rather than arriving on the first day. "If everyone attempts to withdraw money simultaneously, normal banking operations may be disrupted. Depositors are requested to remain patient and withdraw funds in phases," the spokesperson said, reassuring customers that all promised payments will be honored and there is no cause for panic. Arif Hossain noted that applying does not guarantee that every customer will ultimately withdraw their funds. Since withdrawing early may involve forfeiting certain profits, some applicants may alter their decision. Consequently, disbursements will be calculated and provided based on depositors who physically present themselves at branches to execute the withdrawal. He affirmed that despite Sammilito Islami Bank's internal capacity limitations, Bangladesh Bank will extend necessary financial support to safeguard depositor interests and fulfill all commitments. Addressing broader banking operations, the central bank spokesperson stated that commercial banks face no institutional shortages regarding loan disbursements, but stressed those borrower enterprises must ensure requisite logistical readiness. He explained that effective investment requires infrastructure including electricity, gas, road connectivity, and port facilities alongside credit availability. He noted that temporary delays in loan disbursements in certain cases stem from current logistical infrastructure deficits, assuring that credit operations will advance efficiently as borrowing firms complete their operational readiness for investment.

Bangladesh Bank is set to launch a specialised financial program titled "Uddyog: Upazila-Based Young Entrepreneur Search, Identification, and Financing Program" to transform young citizens into successful entrepreneurs across the country. The SME and Special Programs Department of the central bank will implement the initiative. Details of the scheme were unveiled by BB Spokesperson and Executive Director Arif Hossain Khan at a press conference at the central bank headquarters on Thursday. Unlike traditional competitive contests, "Uddyog" will identify promising young individuals directly at the upazila level through branches of scheduled banks. Participating banks will evaluate applicants' business plans, feasibility, and funding requirements to disburse the financial assistance. Under the program, selected young entrepreneurs will receive financial support of up to Tk 20 lakh. This package includes a maximum bank loan of Tk 10 lakh and a grant of up to Tk 10 lakh. The interest or profit rate for the loan portion at the customer level has been fixed at a maximum of 4 to 7 percent. Crucially, the entire financing package will be provided without requiring any collateral. However, if an entrepreneur fails to repay the loan portion within the stipulated timeframe, the grant portion will automatically be converted into an interest-free loan. The account will then be classified under standard central bank rules, rendering the borrower a defaulter and ineligible for future loans. To qualify for the programme, applicants must be adult Bangladeshi citizens and residents of the respective upazila, with an upper age limit of 28 years on the final date of application. Prior business experience is not mandatory, allowing individuals with realistic and viable business ideas to apply. Eligible sectors include agriculture, food processing, fisheries, livestock, handicrafts, tourism, services, technology, and other legitimate business ventures. No application fee will be charged. Interested candidates can submit their application forms to any scheduled bank branch within their respective upazila. In its initial pilot phase, the programme will roll out across 64 upazilas in eight selected districts spanning eight divisions: Manikganj, Feni, Naogaon, Jhenaidah, Bhola, Habiganj, Rangpur, and Netrokona. Ten young entrepreneurs will be selected from each upazila, totaling 640 beneficiaries in the first phase, before the program expands nationwide. Beyond financial funding, "Uddyog" will offer entrepreneurship development training, mentorship from experienced professionals, business registration support, assistance in business plan formulation, and market linkage services. Bangladesh Bank estimates that each successful micro-entrepreneur creates employment for three to five people on average, making this initiative a key driver for job creation and local economic growth. A detailed circular outlining the implementation methodology and terms will be issued by Bangladesh Bank on September 16, following which applications will remain open for one month.

The government has cancelled the remaining contractual tenures of the managing directors (MDs) and chief executive officers (CEOs) of three state-owned banks. Separate notifications issued by the Financial Institutions Division (FID) under the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday confirmed the cancellation of appointments at Agrani Bank PLC, BASIC Bank PLC, and Bangladesh Development Bank PLC (BDBL). Md Anwarul Islam was removed as MD & CEO of Agrani Bank PLC, while Md Kamruzzaman Khan from BASIC Bank PLC and Md Jashim Uddin from BDBL. The notifications instructed the respective boards of directors of the state-owned institutions to immediately implement the decisions and take necessary operational measures as per regulations.

Sammilito Islami Bank PLC will start accepting applications from customers on Wednesday to withdraw their principal deposits, a day later than originally scheduled. The bank was scheduled to begin accepting the applications from Tuesday. However, it has now deferred the process by a day to make necessary operational arrangements. Individual account holders will be allowed to withdraw their entire principal deposits in a single transaction starting on September 7, following a fresh decision by the bank's management. However, depositors opting to withdraw their full principal will not receive any profit on their funds. The bank's head office issued a detailed directive, signed by Deputy Managing Director and Chief Coordinator of Operations AF Sabbir Ahmed, to all divisional heads, zonal heads and branch managers to ensure necessary operational arrangements. While Bangladesh Bank had previously announced the resumption of normal transactions for individual customers starting on September 1, the bank requires a few additional days to finalise preparations. These include sending cash requisitions to branches and sub-branches, ensuring adequate cash supply from the central bank, and establishing a risk-free cash management system. Consequently, the fully-fledged refund process will commence on September 7. According to the directive, customers can withdraw their principal funds from Al-Wadia current accounts, Mudaraba savings accounts, and various term deposits, such as MTDR and DPS. However, depositors who choose to keep their accounts active without withdrawing will continue to receive profits attheir pre-determined contractual rates. Once the bank's overall operations fully resume, customers will be able to deposit and withdraw any amount, including profits. Sammilito Islami Bank was formed during the interim government by merging EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, and Union Bank. The merger took place after these institutions failed to return customer deposits for a prolonged period due to widespread financial irregularities and fraud. The five merged banks hold Tk 1,42,000 crore belonging to approximately 76 lakh depositors, with about Tk 15,000 crore held in individual savings accounts. A staggering 86 percent of the Tk 1,92,000 crore total loans across these banks are currently defaulted, resulting in a capital shortfall of over Tk 1.5 lakh crore. Operating as a state-owned bank since November last year, Sammilito Islami Bank has an authorised capital of Tk 40,000 crore and a paid-up capital of Tk 35,000 crore. The government provided Tk 20,000 crore of the paid-up capital, while shares will be issued to depositors against the remaining Tk 15,000 crore. END/UNB/AI/AM 2029 Hrs

Bangladesh Bank and Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC have signed a Tk 3,000 crore refinancing agreement aimed at building an effective and dynamic agriculture value chain across the country. The primary objective of the scheme is to boost agricultural production, preservation, processing, marketing, and supply chain development, while generating rural employment. The agreement was signed at the head office of Bangladesh Bank on Monday in the presence of central bank Deputy Governor Dr Md Kabir Ahamed, and Chief Spokesperson and Executive Director Arief Hossain Khan, according to a press release. BB Agricultural Credit Department-2 Director AKM Saiduzzaman and Senior Executive Vice President & Head of Retail Investment Wing at Islami Bank Abu Sayeed Md Idris signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions. Additional Directors of Bangladesh Bank Zoynal Abedin and Sakhawat Hossain, alongside Head of Islami Bank's Agricultural Investment Division Mohammad Aman Ullah and other senior executives and officials from both organisations were present at the event.  

Standard Chartered Bangladesh has announced the appointment of Enamul Huque as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2026. With a career spanning over 25 years at Standard Chartered in Bangladesh and other markets, Enam brings extensive leadership experience in Corporate and Institutional Banking and Risk Management. Throughout his tenure, he has led strategic client relationships and landmark transactions across various sectors, including Local Corporates, Commodity Trading and Agribusiness, Global Subsidiaries, and Financial Institutions. Commenting on his new role, Enamul Huque said, "It is an honour to be appointed as the CEO for Standard Chartered Bangladesh. This Bank has been my professional identity for over 25 years. Taking up the role of Chief Executive Officer of our Bangladesh franchise is both a recognition and a big responsibility." He added that his priority will be to maintain the institution's role as a "super connector international bank" and a trusted partner to clients, regulators, communities, and stakeholders. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Enam served as Country Chief Risk Officer and Senior Credit Officer from April 2025, where he oversaw risk across the Bangladesh franchise and aligned operations with regulatory mandates and growth targets. He also chaired the bank's Diversity and Inclusion Council. Beyond his responsibilities at Standard Chartered, Enam served as Co-Chair of the Standing Committee on Capital Markets and Bond at the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for the 2023–2025 term. He holds an MBA from Mount Eliza Business School, Monash University, Australia, as well as graduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Dhaka.

Sammilito Islami Bank PLC is set to begin refunding the principal deposits to its individual account holders starting on September 7. Customers will be allowed to withdraw or encash their entire deposited principal amount at once, though they will not receive any profit on the withdrawn funds. The bank's branches will start accepting applications for these withdrawals from Tuesday. The bank's head office has issued a special circular outlining necessary preparations and guidelines for all divisional heads, zonal heads, and branch managers. The directive was signed by bank's Deputy Managing Director and Chief Coordinator of Operations AF Sabbir Ahmed. While Bangladesh Bank had previously announced the resumption of normal transactions for individual customers starting on September 1, the bank requires a few additional days to finalise preparations. These include sending cash requisitions to branches and sub-branches, ensuring adequate cash supply from the central bank, and establishing a risk-free cash management system. Consequently, the fully-fledged refund process will commence on September 7. According to the directive, customers can withdraw their principal funds from Al-Wadia current accounts, Mudaraba savings accounts, and various term deposits, such as MTDR and DPS. However, depositors who choose to keep their accounts active without withdrawing will continue to receive profits at their pre-determined contractual rates. Once the bank's overall operations fully resume, customers will be able to deposit and withdraw any amount, including profits. To restore lost trust and reassure customers ahead of the payout process, bank authorities have instructed branches to observe September 1 as a special day for rebuilding customer confidence. Officials have been directed to decorate branches and sub-branches, wear formal and decent attire, and welcome customers with flowers or gifts. Priority services must be ensured for senior citizens, women, and persons with disabilities. Branches are required to maintain a clean, positive environment, maximise customer satisfaction, and record video footage of customer service activities. Sammilito Islami Bank was formed during the interim government by merging EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, and Union Bank. The merger took place after these institutions failed to return customer deposits for a prolonged period due to widespread financial irregularities and fraud. The five merged banks hold Tk 1,42,000 crore belonging to approximately 76 lakh depositors, with about Tk 15,000 crore held in individual savings accounts. A staggering 86 percent of the Tk 1,92,000 crore total loans across these banks are currently defaulted, resulting in a capital shortfall of over Tk 1.5 lakh crore. Operating as a state-owned bank since November last year, Sammilito Islami Bank has an authorised capital of Tk 40,000 crore and a paid-up capital of Tk 35,000 crore. The government provided Tk 20,000 crore of the paid-up capital, while shares will be issued to depositors against the remaining Tk 15,000 crore.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) recorded a net profit of Tk 25,977 crore for the recently concluded fiscal year FY2025-26, marking an increase of Tk 3,357 crore compared to the previous fiscal despite ongoing economic challenges. The final financial statements for FY2025-26 were approved on Sunday (August 30) during a Board of Directors meeting chaired by Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman at the central bank's headquarters. During the meeting, the board members also approved an incentive or 'performance bonus' equivalent to six basic salaries for central bank officials and employees. According to central bank data, Bangladesh Bank posted a net profit of Tk 22,620 crore in FY2024-25. In FY2023-24, the central bank earned a gross profit of nearly Tk 40,000 crore, with a net profit standing at Tk 15,300 crore. Despite a prevailing economic slowdown, the central bank's lending operations remained robust during the last fiscal year. Amid liquidity shortages in the banking sector, commercial banks borrowed heavily from Bangladesh Bank to meet daily operational demands, generating substantial interest income for the central bank. Furthermore, significant earnings were realized from foreign currency reserve investments made in various countries and international bonds, benefiting from elevated interest rates in global markets. However, central bank officials expressed nuanced views on the soaring profits. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior BB official noted that earning profits is not the primary function of a central bank. "The core responsibility of a regulatory body is to supervise the banking sector, control inflation, boost private sector investment, and generate employment," the official stated, adding that while volatility in the economy and banking sector drove the revenue surge, the central bank must remain focused on maintaining money market stability. The board meeting was informed that a major portion of the central bank's net profit will be transferred to the government exchequer to help cushion the national revenue deficit.