Bangladesh Bank governor Ahsan H Mansur has said that preparations to merge five weak banks in the country to form a new and stronger bank are almost final.
The governor said that the initiative is being implemented using the Bank Resolution Ordinance. The new bank is likely to begin operations next week.
The Bangladesh Bank governor said this at the opening session of the Fourth Bangladesh Economic Conference 2025, held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in the capital today, Saturday.
The conference on future pathways of the economy and political commitment was organised by the Bengali daily Bonik Barta.
Addressing the session Ahsan H Mansur said that the new bank will have paid-up capital of Tk 350 billion, the highest so far in Bangladesh’s banking sector. At present, the maximum capital of banks is only around Tk 15 billion.
The governor also said, “We are going to establish a strong bank by merging the five weak banks. The government is providing Tk 200 billion for this.”
Other guests at the event included AK Enamul Haque, director general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), AK Azad, chairman and managing director of Ha-Meem Group, Jahangir Alam, president of the Bangladesh Steel Manufacturers Association (BSMA) and chairman of the GPH Group, and Masrur Arefin, managing director and chief executive officer of City Bank.