Defaulted loans at non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) in Bangladesh reached a record 30%, signifying a precarious situation due to widespread loan irregularities. Soured loans at 35 NBFIs amounted to Tk 21,658 crore in September 2023, a 9% increase from June and a 25% rise from a year ago.
These bad loans represented 29.75% of the total outstanding loans of NBFIs. The central bank’s intensified monitoring since last year revealed the extent of bad loans. The withdrawal of loan repayment deferrals during the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to a spike in bad loans. Notably, the central bank intervened in some NBFIs due to loan irregularities and governance issues. The overall economic challenges, forex crisis, and regulatory scrutiny have intensified the difficulties faced by the NBFI sector.