Bangladesh Bank recorded a net profit of Tk 22,600 crore in the fiscal year 2024–25, largely boosted by higher returns from foreign currency investments and lending to the banks.
The central bank’s board, chaired by governor Ahsan H Mansur, approved the financial statements for the fiscal year at its meeting on Tuesday.
The statements show that total profit stood at Tk 33,000 crore, of which Tk 22,600 crore was net profit before accounting for foreign currency revaluation.
The board also cleared an incentive bonus equivalent to six months’ basic salary for the regulator’s officials.
Most of the earnings came from foreign currency assets, which generated stronger returns as global interest rates climbed.
The interest rates on US dollar deposits and securities was near 1 per cent. Now, they stand around 4.5 per cent, significantly raising Bangladesh Bank’s income from its foreign reserves.
The central bank also earned a notable amount by providing short-term loans—such as repo and special repo facilities—to banks facing liquidity pressures.
Another important source of income was lending to the government, which has increasingly relied on the central bank to finance budget deficits.
However, experts and officials caution that large profits at a central bank do not necessarily mean the economy is strong.
A private commercial bank’s profit usually signals business success, but for a central bank, high earnings can sometimes reveal the opposite.
When the commercial banks borrow heavily from the central bank, it points to liquidity stress and weak treasury management.
Bangladesh Bank’s profit rose sharply compared with the previous year.
In FY 2023–24, it reported Tk 40,554 crore in total profit and Tk 16,156 crore in net profit. Within just one year, net profit jumped by Tk 6,444 crore.
At the meeting, the board also reviewed the overall state of the economy and agricultural loan disbursements during the last financial year.
The rise in Bangladesh Bank’s profits highlights how global monetary shifts and domestic fiscal pressures directly affect the central bank’s balance sheet.
