Chattogram-based S Alam Group withdrew around Tk 7,000 crore from Social Islami Bank (SIBL), accounting for over 18% of the bank’s total loans, contributing to its liquidity crisis. Of this, Tk 6,400 crore involved direct cash transfers. S Alam Group took control of the bank in 2017, but following the political change in August, the central bank reconstituted SIBL’s board, removing the group’s influence.
New chairman Professor M Sadiqul Islam cited poor governance and credit overexposure as major problems. He believes the bank can recover loans from S Alam Group’s ongoing projects. The bank has already frozen Tk 250 crore of the group’s deposits and secured Tk 900 crore in liquidity support from other banks. SIBL is now focused on recovering loans, addressing defaulters, and gradually resuming normal banking services, including opening letters of credit (LCs). The liquidity crisis was exacerbated by shortfalls in the bank’s cash reserve ratio (CRR) and statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) and losses from remittance dealings. An audit covering 2017 to August 2023 is underway.