Defaulted loans rise by nearly Tk50,000cr in six months

Classified loans in Bangladesh’s banking sector increased by nearly Tk50,000 crore in just six months, reaching a record Tk6.07 lakh crore in June 2026, despite repeated loan-rescheduling facilities, special waivers and regulatory support from Bangladesh Bank.

According to the latest central bank data, classified loans rose to Tk6,06,555 crore in June 2026, from around Tk5.57 lakh crore in December 2025, marking an increase of approximately Tk49,555 crore, or nearly 9%, in six months.

The classified-loan ratio also climbed to 32.78% in June, up from 32.26% in March, when classified loans stood at Tk5,88,704 crore.

The latest figures mean that nearly one-third of the banking sector’s outstanding loans have become classified, highlighting the deepening crisis in asset quality.

The increase has come despite a series of policy measures taken by the central bank to prevent further deterioration in banks’ loan portfolios. These include relaxed repayment facilities, large-scale restructuring programmes, special rescheduling opportunities and other regulatory concessions for borrowers.

Bangladesh Bank spokesperson Arief Hossain Khan said loan recovery had failed to meet expectations, while interest on existing classified loans continued to accumulate.

He said many borrowers who rescheduled their loans under special policy support programmes are currently enjoying a two-year grace period, delaying immediate recovery.

“The pace and volume of recovery will increase once the two-year period expires,” Khan said.