The regime change on 5 August 2024, Bangladesh’s banking sector has seen a major shift, with depositors moving funds from scandal-hit banks to well-reputed ones. Of 36 banks listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange, 16 experienced a surge in cash flow from January to September 2024, led by BRAC Bank, where net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) doubled to Tk49.51. Deposit growth rose to 7.26% in September from 7% in August, as Tk9,000 crore returned to strong banks. Central bank reforms, including halting liquidity support and implementing interest rate-based policies, eased money market pressures.
In contrast, 20 banks, including Islami Bank and Social Islami Bank, controlled by politically linked groups, faced negative cash flows due to corruption. Islami Bank’s NOCFPS improved to negative Tk3.02, helped by Bangladesh Bank’s guarantee scheme. However, persistent outflows reflect ongoing challenges for weaker institutions amid high provisioning and eroded depositor trust.