United News of Bangladesh

The total classified loans in Bangladesh have surged to a staggering Tk 2.85 trillion, representing nearly 17% of the total disbursed loans, according to an updated report released by the Bangladesh Bank on Sunday. The financial sector’s persistent vulnerabilities are largely attributed to the soaring volume of non-performing loans (NPLs). Bangladesh Bank provides liquidity guarantee of Tk 6,585 crore to 7 banks Over the years, the upward trajectory of these loans has continued unabated, putting additional strain on the banking system. Record-High Figures As of the end of September this year, classified loans amounted to Tk 2,84,977 crore, which is 16.93% of the total loans disbursed. This marks the highest ratio of classified loans to disbursed loans in 16 years. In contrast, the total classified loans stood at Tk 2,11,391 crore as of June, which indicates a sharp increase of Tk 73,586 crore within just three months, signalling a worrying trend for the nation’s financial stability. Breakdown The burden of classified loans is not evenly distributed across the banking sector. State-owned banks continue to bear the brunt, with Tk 1,26,111 crore in NPLs, amounting to a staggering 40.35% of their total disbursed loans. Stocks go up on Thursday, DSE index rises by 64.73 points in first hour Private banks, while comparatively better positioned, are not immune to the crisis. Their classified loans stand at Tk 1,49,806 crore, accounting for 11.88% of their total disbursed loans. Foreign banks, on the other hand, report classified loans of Tk 3,245 crore, representing 4.99% of their disbursed loans. Specialised banks also face challenges, with Tk 5,813 crore in NPLs. A Worsening Crisis The ever-increasing figures highlight the need for urgent reforms in the banking sector. The unchecked rise in classified loans not only reflects governance issues but also undermines investor confidence in the financial system. Experts argue that without stringent oversight and stricter loan recovery mechanisms, the situation will continue to deteriorate, further exposing the economy to systemic risks. This alarming state of affairs calls for swift and decisive action from regulators and policymakers to address the root causes and safeguard the financial sector from long-term damage.

The second IHSB Business Carnival, powered by AukoTex and organised by the IHSB business club of International Hope School Bangladesh opened on Friday. The three-day event is being held on the premises of International Hope School Bangladesh at Uttara and will continue until November 17, said Principal of the School Roksana Zarin. Over 600 students from 50 different institutions across Dhaka are to partake in any of the three competitions which comprises Friedman’s fallacy, Pitch perfect and Marketing mania. Friedman’s fallacy where participants will present solutions for various economic problems while Pitch perfect, in which young individuals will present an unique business idea, the competition promoting entrepreneurship and the best idea shall receive special Courtesy Award by Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Lastly, Marketing mania where they must create a captivating commercial that resonates with their fellow competitors and judges. The goal is to enhance their creative and communications skills, kindle entrepreneurial spirit as well as engage in situations that will prepare them for real life business applications and how to tackle them, competing for a total prize pool of TK1.8 lakh. 

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has extended Tk 6,585 crore in liquidity support to address short-term funding needs under its credit guarantee scheme. Husneara Shikha, Executive Director and spokesperson of the central bank, shared the information with reporters on Thursday (Nov 14) that the support is being provided without printing additional currency, as the funds are managed through interbank lending under the central bank's guarantee. According to Shikha, the central bank is prepared to continue offering this support as needed, depending on the demands of individual banks. So far, seven banks facing liquidity challenges have received funding from 10 financially stable banks under this arrangement. Despite this injection of liquidity, some banks are still experiencing difficulties in meeting depositor withdrawals, which the BB spokesperson attributes to aggressive loan disbursement practices involving fraudulent documents during the tenure of the previous government.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the country's main capital market, indexes saw an upward trend in the first hour on Thursday.Till 11am on the day, the trading record in the DSE shows, shares and units of 5.53 crore exchange through 53763 transactions. In this time shares and mutual funds worth Tk 163.4 crore were traded. A total of 369 companies participated in trading. Among these, prices of 312 companies increased, 33 companies decreased and 24 companies remained unchanged at the DSE.The main index DSEX increased by 64.73 points to 5380.74 points, the DSES Shariah index rise by 15.27 points to 1200.23 points and the DS30 special blue chip increased by 21.50 points to 1993.71 points during the first 1:0 hour on Tuesday.  

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the country’s primary capital market, experienced mixed trends during the first two hours of trading on Wednesday, with total transactions reaching Tk 191 crore by 12 pm. During this period, 5.56 crore shares and mutual fund units were exchanged through 68,680 transactions. Initially, the market showed an upward trend in the morning but reversed course, declining after 11:30 am. A total of 386 companies participated in trading. Of these, prices for 149 companies rose, 168 declined, and 69 remained unchanged. The market's main index, DSEX, saw a modest gain of 6.58 points, closing at 5,304.95 points by midday. Meanwhile, the DSES Shariah Index edged up slightly by 0.14 points to 1,183.42 points, but the DS30 Index, representing blue-chip companies, fell by 3.68 points to 1,985.74 points.

The second IHSB Business Carnival, powered by AukoTex and organised by the IHSB business club of International Hope School Bangladesh will begin on Friday. The programme will be held on the premises of International Hope School Bangladesh at Uttara from November 15 to November 17, said a press release. Over 600 students from 50 different institutions across Dhaka will partake in any of the three competitions which comprises Friedman’s fallacy, Pitch perfect and Marketing mania. Friedman’s fallacy where participants will present solutions for various economic problems while Pitch perfect, in which young individuals will present an unique business idea, the competition promoting entrepreneurship and the best idea shall receive special Courtesy Award by Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Lastly, Marketing mania where they must create a captivating commercial that resonates with their fellow competitors and judges. The goal is to enhance their creative and communications skills, kindle entrepreneurial spirit as well as engage in situations that will prepare them for real life business applications and how to tackle them, competing for a total prize pool of TK1.8 lakh British Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director to Bangladesh James Goldman, Director of Trade and Investment Dan Pasha and International Trade and Investment Manager Syed Habibur Rahman will be present as the guest on the opening day.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the nation’s premier capital market, experienced an upward trend during the first hour of trading on Tuesday, with transactions totaling Tk 192 crore by 11 am. According to DSE data, 5.51 crore shares and mutual fund units were exchanged through 56,675 transactions during this period. The market recorded participation from 393 companies, of which 223 saw a rise in share prices, 83 faced declines, and 76 remained unchanged. Read: DSE index rises by 67.57 points amid upward stock price trend The main index, DSEX, gained 20.98 points, reaching 5,354.41 points, reflecting investor optimism. The DSES Shariah Index, which tracks Shariah-compliant stocks, rose by 2.43 points to 1,197.73 points, while the DS30 Index, comprising blue-chip stocks, climbed 8.29 points to 1,985.74.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the country's main capital market, indexes saw an upward trend in the first one hour on Monday amid huge selling pressure. Till 11 am, the trading record in the DSE shows, shares and units of 4.75 crore exchange through 43288 transactions. In this time shares and mutual funds worth Tk 155 crore were traded. A total of 373 companies participated in trading this time. Among these, prices of 223 companies increased, 86 companies decreased and 63 remained unchanged at the DSE. The main index DSEX increased by 32.98 points to 5298.83 points, the DSES Shariah index rise by 10.03 points to 1185.55 points and the DS30 special blue chip index up by 8.36 points to 1962.04 points during the period.

Ruhul Amin, Executive Director (ED) of Bangladesh Bank (BB) has been appointed as 'receiver' at the leading manufacturer Beximco Group. The central bank took the decision at its board meeting, chaired by governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur on Sunday. Three new members -Nazma Mobarak, Habibur Rahman and Dr. Fahmida Khatun- have been included in the central bank board. The audit committee of BB has been reconstitued too. "The work of receiver will be to ensure proper management of all the institutions of the group in view of the order of the High Court," said Husneara Shikha, spokesperson of BB. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's private industry and investment adviser Salman F Rahman is the vice chairman of Beximco Group. He has been imprisoned after the fall of the Awami League government in a student-led uprising. Beximco is one of the top companies in garment export and pharmaceutical manufacturing. On September 5, the High Court ordered Bangladesh Bank to attach all the properties of Beximco Group and appoint a receiver for six months to manage them. The meeting also decided to appoint an international legal or money recovery farm to help recover money laundered from Bangladesh. The central bank board has decided to conduct a forensic audit to look into the operations of the postal department's digital financial service, 'Nagad'.

The movement of travelers through the Benapole immigration checkpost to India has seen a dramatic decline following the Indian High Commission's restrictions on visa issuance for Bangladeshis. The sharp reduction in traveler numbers has caused significant revenue losses, with the monthly collection dropping to a fraction of its previous levels. Since the visa restrictions after August 5, the daily number of travelers crossing through Benapole—a major gateway to India—has dropped from 7,000–8,000 to less than half. This has led to a sharp decline in revenue collection from passport-holding travelers, a sector that previously generated Tk 15 crore monthly but now brings in just Tk 3 crore. Benapole Land Port immigration officials estimate that the government earns approximately Tk 200 crore annually from passport-carrying travelers entering India. However, the current slowdown has disrupted this revenue stream, dealing a blow to the local economy and trade. "Passenger numbers have virtually dropped to zero since the Indian High Commission restricted visa issuance," said Imtiaz Bhuiyan, Officer-in-Charge of Benapole Immigration Police. "Previously, 7,000 to 8,000 passengers crossed daily, but now that number has drastically decreased." The restrictions have had an acute impact on travelers seeking medical treatment in India. Benapole is a vital route for many medical patients due to its proximity to Kolkata. Other categories of travelers, including tourists, students, and businesspeople, have nearly disappeared from the checkpost, further exacerbating the crisis. Passenger Zubair Hossain, who managed to secure a medical visa after a long wait, expressed his frustration: "I’m traveling to India for treatment, but getting a visa has become very difficult. There’s no chance of getting a travel visa now, and I don’t know if I will get one in the future." Another traveler, Deepa Rani, noted the stark change at the checkpost: "I expected to see the usual crowds at immigration, but it was almost empty. Our visas are about to expire, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to get new ones since India has stopped issuing them." The suspension of business visas has also begun to impact trade operations at Benapole, which is Bangladesh’s largest land port. Many traders fear that prolonged restrictions could severely affect import and export activities between the two neighboring countries. Benapole’s strategic location makes it a critical hub for cross-border travel and trade. However, with the current visa restrictions in place, the ripple effects are being felt across multiple sectors, from healthcare to commerce.