Process on to prepare list of loan defaulters: Finance minister tells JS

A process is going on to prepare the list of top loan defaulter persons and organisations, Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali told the Jatiya Sangsad today (24 June).

The minister said this in reply to a tabled query of ruling Awami League MP from reserved seat Farida Yasmin. 
 
In her question, Farida Yasmin wanted to know the names of top 30 loan defaulter persons and organisations and how much money they have taken from banks. 
 
In reply to another query of AL MP Nurunnabi Chowdhury from Bhola-3, the finance minister said the government and the Bangladesh Bank have taken multiple permanent and effective measures to bring discipline in all banks and financial organisations. 
 
In his question, Chowdhury wanted to know whether the government takes any permanent and effective measures to stop loan scams in all banks and financial entities. 
 
In reply, the finance minister said the government has taken four measures including amended the Bank Companies Act, 1991 by adding a new section (27B) for registration of willful defaulters. 
 
The Bangladesh Bank through BRPD Circular No-06 dated 12 March has issued guidelines to scheduled banks regarding identification and finalisation of willful defaulters and action taken against them. 
 
Regular inspection and monitoring activities are ongoing by the bank inspection departments (on-site and off-site) of Bangladesh Bank with the aim of bringing credit discipline to all banks and financial institutions. 

By 30 June 2026, the Bangladesh Bank has adopted a specific action plan to bring down the classified loan ratio of the entire banking sector to below 8% and ensure corporate governance in the banking sector. 
 
Besides, the minister also said The Finance Company Act, 2023 has been enacted by modernizing the related laws to ensure transparency and accountability of finance companies, management, systematic management, financial structure. 
 
In order to stop the loan fraudsters of financial institutions, various preventive measures have been taken including identification of defaulting borrowers and willful defaulting borrowers following the prescribed process and taking appropriate legal action against said borrowers. 
 
While replying to a query of AL MP M Abdul Latif from Chattogram-11, the finance minister said at present, due to the creation of investment opportunities in various public and private sectors, the depositors are directly investing in various schemes, small industries and income-generating sectors. 
 
"As a result, not because of lack of confidence and inflation, but because of various investment projects are attractive and opportunities for direct investment have been created, the deposits of financial institutions have decreased to some extent," the minister said. 
 
In his question, Latif wanted to know whether it is true that financial institutions lost 95,000 depositors in the last financial year 2022-23 due to lack of confidence and inflation. 
 
In reply to a query of AL MP from Chattogram-1, Mahbubur Rahman, the finance minister informed the House that Currently there is no liquidity crisis in any bank operating in Bangladesh. 
 
However, the minister said, high non-performing loans, capital shortages and liquidity problems exist in some banks. 
 
In order to solve all these problems, one officer of Bangladesh Bank was engaged as an observer in the board of directors of 9 banks and as a coordinator in 7 banks. 
 
In reply to another query of the same MP, the minister informed the House that inflation will come under control in the next financial year due to the reduction in the prices of fuel, food products and fertilisers in the global market, initiatives to maintain the food and supply situation and all the activities that are going on to protect the helpless poor people. 
 
"Accordingly, the annual average inflation is estimated to be 6.5% at the end of the fiscal year 2024-25," the minister added.