STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh Bank (BB) provided Tk 75,903 crore in emergency liquidity assistance to banks as of June 6, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament yesterday.

The central bank extends such support to banks facing cash shortages and struggling to return depositors’ money on time. However, no liquidity support is provided to non-bank financial institutions facing financial distress, he added.

According to BB data, the largest share of the support went to First Security Islami Bank, with outstanding borrowing of Tk 15,810 crore.

BB also provided Tk 12,010 crore to EXIM Bank, Tk 10,841 crore to Social Islami Bank, Tk 10,568 crore to National Bank, Tk 5,420 crore to Union Bank and Tk 5,000 crore to Premier Bank.

It also lent Tk 4,270 crore to AB Bank, Tk 3,003 crore to Global Islami Bank, Tk 624 crore to Bangladesh Commerce Bank, Tk 252 crore each to ICB Islamic Bank and Padma Bank, and Tk 195 crore to BASIC Bank.

The central bank recently provided around Tk 9,000 crore in liquidity support to Islami Bank.

The finance minister said the government had enacted the Bank Resolution Act, 2026, to deal with banks and financial institutions facing liquidity problems. He said various measures are being taken under the law, but did not give details.

Replying to a question from MP Rehana Akter, the minister said Bangladesh Bank had placed five troubled banks -- Exim Bank PLC, First Security Islami Bank PLC, Global Islami Bank PLC, Social Islami Bank PLC and Union Bank PLC -- under resolution to protect depositors’ interests. The five banks were merged to form Sammilito Islami Bank PLC.

He said depositors of Sammilito Islami Bank are being repaid under the Bank Resolution Scheme, 2025.