After a 12-month hiatus, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) plans to resume publishing key financial health data for commercial banks, including interest rates and spreads, starting in July. This move follows the cessation of data publication in July 2023, coinciding with the introduction of the SMART (six-month moving average rate of treasuries) system for setting interest rates. The lack of data has hindered money market observers and bankers from accurately assessing the sector under the current contractionary monetary policy.
BB officials state that the resumption of this data is essential for evaluating commercial lenders’ health and for the central bank to monitor lending rates post-SMART regime. The decision to revert to market-based interest rates from May 8, 2024, has prompted BB to begin preparations for releasing this data regularly.