Several long-standing concerns and major demands raised by thoughtful individuals connected to the banking sector are finally set to be addressed, media reports indicate. These concerns stem from the fact that Bangladesh’s default loan rate is the highest in Asia and the second highest in the world, behind only Ukraine. Had Ukraine not been a war-torn country, Bangladesh would undoubtedly have occupied the top spot.

We know that by March 2026, total default loans in Bangladesh’s banking sector were about to touch Tk 6 trillion (600,000 crore) mark. In percentage terms, this accounts for 32.26 per cent of total disbursed loans. There is no doubt that if loans were classified accurately, this rate would be even higher. At the end of December 2025, the figure stood at around Tk 5.5 trillion.

Taking into account the declared default loans of Tk 5.57 trillion, rescheduled loans of Tk 2.69 trillion, default loans stayed by High Court rulings amounting to Tk 1.82 trillion, and written-off loans of Tk 830 billion, the total amount of high-risk distressed loans stands at Tk 10.93 trillion. This constitutes nearly 60 per cent of total outstanding loans. I don’t know whether the concept—or such an overwhelming situation—of high-risk distressed loans exists in any other country in the world.