Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Monday told the Jatiya Sangsad that Bangladesh Bank is in the process of preparing the list of top loan defaulter persons and organisations.
The minister said this in the reply to a query from ruling Awami League鈥檚 reserved seat-lawmaker Farida Yasmin.
Farida Yasmin wanted to know the names of the top 30 loan defaulter persons and organisations and the amount of money they had taken from banks.
In reply to another query from AL lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury, the 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, Nurunnabi wanted to know whether the government had taken any permanent and effective measures to stop loan scams at all banks and financial entities.
In reply, the minister also said the government had taken four measures including amending the Bank Companies Act, 1991 by adding a new section (27B) for registration of wilful defaulters.
Bangladesh Bank through BRPD Circular No-06 dated: March 12, 2024, has issued guidelines to scheduled banks regarding the identification and finalisation of wilful defaulters and action 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, he said.
Bangladesh Bank has adopted a specific action plan to bring down the classified loan ratio of the entire banking sector to below 8 per cent by June 30, 2026, and ensure corporate governance in the banking sector.
Besides, the minister also said, the Finance Company Act 2023 has been enacted by modernising the related laws to ensure transparency and accountability of finance companies鈥� management, systematic management, and financial structure.
In order to stop the loan fraudsters, various preventive measures have been taken including identification of defaulting borrowers and wilful defaulting borrowers following the prescribed process and through appropriate legal action against said borrowers, he added.
While replying to a query of AL lawmaker M Abdul Latif, the minister said that 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.
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.
鈥楴ot because of lack of confidence and inflation, but because various attractive investment projects and opportunities for direct investment, the deposits of financial institutions have decreased to some extent,鈥� the minister said.
In reply to a query from AL lawmaker Mahbubur Rahman, the finance minister informed the JS that currently there is no liquidity crisis in any bank operating in Bangladesh.
