Despite reduced instalment facilities in term loans, banks have rescheduled loans worth Tk5960 crore and waived interest amounting to Tk2816 crore of interest waived in 6 months (January-June), revealed latest data of Bangladesh Bank (BB). According to the BB data, state-owned banks rescheduled loans worth Tk 1,300 crore, while private banks Tk 4,150 crore. The remaining Tk 779 crore has been rescheduled by specialized banks. The BB introduced a loan moratorium and reduced instalment facility during the Covid pandemic to avert huge defaults as the businesses were affected by the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read: Default bank loans surge to record Tk 1.25 lakh crore in Bangladesh: BB Despite those moves, the accumulated default loans rose to Tk1.25 lakh crore till June this year. The banks had to reschedule around Tk5960 crore, posing a challenge to the sector. Bankers said many small and big businesses have been affected due to the pandemic. Many have halted regular loan repayments, raising the issue of the pandemic. Some banks are not able to collect the loan repayments due to irregularities and corruption. As a result, the default loan volume is increasing, and now stands at around 9 per cent of the country’s total disbursement of loans.

The government on Monday rearranged the office timing from 8:00am to 3:00pm for all the government and autonomous offices and from 9:00am to 4:00pm for all banks in a bid to save electricity amid short supply. The decision came from the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who joined it through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other cabinet members attended the meeting from the conference room of the Cabinet Division in Bangladesh Secretariat. “The new office timing would be effective from Wednesday next,” said Cabinet Secretariat Khandker Anwarul Islam while briefing reporters after the meeting. Besides, there would be two weekly holidays in the educational institutions, he said, adding that the education ministry will now issue a circular in this regard. Read: Govt likely to reduce office hour or introduce virtual office: State Minister In the meeting, the Cabinet asked the power, energy and mineral resources ministry to ensure the uninterrupted electricity supply in the rural areas from midnight to dawn for the next 10-15 days so that the irrigation is not hampered. The Cabinet directed the government offices to remove curtains from there to get natural lights as well as to use air coolers as little as possible in order to reduce the use of electricity, said Anwarul Islam. In the meeting, the governor of Bangladesh Bank declared the new timing for the banks, he said. The decisions (new office timing and two weekly holidays in educational institutions) will save electricity and ease traffic congestion, said the top bureaucrat.

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examination for June 25 has been shifted to June 24 due to the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, Education Minister Dipu Moni said on Sunday. The Education Minister revealed the information while talking to reporters after a meeting at the secretariat. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the Padma Bridge on June 25. Students will take the English 2nd paper test on the first day of the exams. READ: SSC exams to begin on June 19 Coaching centers to remain shut Besides, the activities of all coaching centers across the country will remain suspended from June 15 to July 7 as the SSC examinations are scheduled to begin on June 19, she said. Like previous year, the examinations will be held on shortened syllabus. A total of 20,21,868 students are expected to sit for the examinations. The examinations will be held at 3,790 exam centers till July 6, she said. Some 15,99, 711 students will sit for the examinations under nine general education board while 2,68,495 under Madrasha Board and 1,63,662 students under the Technical Education Board. Last year, a total of 22, 43, 254 students appeared their SSC and its equivalent examinations from 3,679 exam centers. Meanwhile, the examinations will be held at eight overseas centrers simultaneously. All examinees have been requested to enter their exams hall 30 minutes before the starting time and no one except the exam secretary will be allowed to carry celluler phone. This year, the examinations will be held for two hours instead of three years and the results will be published within 60 days of the examinations.