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Go tough on wilful loan defaulters

JS body asks authorities not to reschedule loans

Rashidul Hasan
A parliamentary panel has asked the authorities concerned to go tough on loan defaulters to recover money from them, especially the wilful defaulters by not giving them opportunity to reschedule their loans.
The parliamentary standing committee on planning ministry came down heavily upon a section of Industrialists, who live a posh life but have wilfully declared their industries sick to get benefit from the government.
"There are people who wilfully do not pay the instalments against their loans and take the opportunity of rescheduling their defaulted loans paying 5-10 percent money when they are declared loan defaulters." Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, chairman of the House body, told a few reporters after a meeting of the committee at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday. "Therefore, the committee has recommended taking steps to stop this practice.
"Most loan defaulters do not bother to pay their instalments for even five years after getting loans," said Oli, also president of Liberal Democratic Party.
He observed that the government and the banks will not be able to take up many important projects to meet people's desire
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unless the huge amount of defaulted loans is recovered.
Defaulted loans are always considered bad for the economy and the government should prevent its increase. Finance Minister AMA Muhith said at a programme on July 9.
On July 5. Muhith revealed a list of 2,196 loan defaulters who have dodged loans ofTk 15,451 crore. He told parliament that the government has initiated steps to recover the amount.
The list updated up to March 2009 by Bangladesh Bank's Credit Information Bureau includes only those who defaulted on loans of Tk 1 crore and above each.
Among the defaulters are apparel units, different government organisations including a ministry, media houses, private aviation companies, real estate companies, leather and tannery units, and even educational institutions.
On July 9, Muhith said the government would publish an updated list soon. He also said the government may allow wholesale rescheduling of loan payments so the volume of defaulted loans does not swell at this time of global recession.
On sick industries, Oli Ahmed yesterday said some industries become sick because of over invoicing. "But the fact is that the owners of these sick industries build houses and buy cars and show their industries sick to get advantage from the government," he said.
The parliamentary body criticised officials of Water Development Board for not repairing and maintaining dams and embankments after they are built.
It asked the WDB to create mechanism so that strong waves of rivers lose strength 20-30 metres ahead before hitting the dams or embankments. The committee also asked them to end construction of roads and embankments before the rainy season.