Dutch-Bangla Bank topped the performance rankings among listed banks for 2023, while Jamuna Bank led for Q1 2024, according to EBL Securities’ research. EBL Securities, a subsidiary of Eastern Bank, evaluated banks based on ten financial criteria, including earnings per share, return on equity, and non-performing loan (NPL) ratio.
Dutch-Bangla Bank scored 83.08 for 2023, with Jamuna Bank at 75.46 for the first quarter of 2024. In contrast, Rupali Bank and AB Bank were the poorest performers, scoring 24.51 and 21.43, respectively. The banking sector saw a significant increase in NPLs, hitting 11.11% in March 2024, due to loan irregularities and poor governance. In response, the Bangladesh Bank has introduced a roadmap to reduce default loans to below 8% by June 2026.