Defaulted loans in the banking sector are 6 lakh 44 thousand 515 crore taka

The terrible pressure of defaulted loans in the country's banking sector has become more evident. Defaulted loans have increased by 3 lakh 60 thousand crore taka in just one year. The amount of defaulted loans during the same period last year was 2 lakh 85 thousand crore taka, which was 16.93 percent of the total loans. This information has emerged in the latest statistics of Bangladesh Bank.

According to the latest data of the central bank, the total loans disbursed in the banking sector at the end of last September were 18 lakh 3 thousand 840 crore taka. Of this, defaulted loans stood at 6 lakh 44 thousand 515 crore taka, which is 35.73 percent of the total loans disbursed.

In June this year, the amount of defaulted loans was 6 lakh 8 thousand 345 crore taka. 34.40 percent of the total loans disbursed. Even before that, the default rate in March was 24.13 percent.

According to those involved in the sector, the real situation of defaulted loans in the banking sector is becoming clear as Bangladesh Bank has been strictly enforcing surveillance and regulations in recent times. Earlier, loans that were shown as 'regular' on paper despite not being repaid are now being identified as bad loans. As a result, risky loans distributed through various influences and benefits for a long time are being revealed one by one, and the amount of bad loans is also increasing.

The money that was taken out of banks anonymously during the tenure of the ousted Awami League government is now being identified as defaulted due to proper compliance with the rules. As a result, the amount of defaulted loans has more than doubled in a span of one year.

According to Bangladesh Bank, as of the end of September 2025, about 50 percent of the loans in state-owned commercial banks were defaulted.

Incidentally, when the Awami League formed the government in 2009, the total defaulted loans were Tk 22,481 crore. Since then, the amount of defaulted loans has been increasing. Economists have long complained that a huge amount of money was looted from banks under the auspices of the then government, a large portion of which was smuggled abroad.