Saturday, 9th May 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 14th March 2026, 3:49 AM
Bangladesh’s non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) recorded a modest rise in deposits during the October–December 2025 quarter, yet lending for economic purposes declined compared with the same period last year, signalling a cautious approach in credit deployment.
According to Bangladesh Bank data, total deposits rose 0.8 per cent year-on-year to Tk 511.27 billion, up from Tk 507.23 billion in the previous quarter. Despite this growth in deposits, economic-purpose loans fell 4.58 per cent from October–December 2024 levels, totalling Tk 60.61 billion, highlighting a slowdown in lending for productive investment.
Overall loans and advances, including accrued interest, grew slightly by 1.41 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Tk 788.28 billion. Public and private NBFCs, however, displayed contrasting performances:
Public NBFCs: Loans and advances rose 4.22 per cent to Tk 155.68 billion.
Private NBFCs: Lending grew more cautiously by 0.74 per cent, reaching Tk 632.60 billion.
Meanwhile, total economic-purpose loan disbursements increased 24.77 per cent quarter-on-quarter from Tk 48.57 billion in July–September 2025, indicating seasonal or operational factors may have influenced short-term lending activity.
| Indicator | Jul–Sep 2025 | Oct–Dec 2025 | Oct–Dec 2024 | YoY Change | QoQ Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Deposits (Tk bn) | 507.23 | 511.27 | – | +0.8% | – |
| Total Loans & Advances (Tk bn) | 777.34 | 788.28 | 760.77 | +3.55% | +1.41% |
| Economic-purpose Loans (Tk bn) | 48.57 | 60.61 | 63.51 | -4.58% | +24.77% |
| Fixed Deposits (Tk bn) | 487.41 | 490.95 | – | – | +0.72% |
Fixed deposits remain the dominant instrument, comprising 96.02 per cent of total deposits, despite a slight decline from 96.10 per cent. Private NBFCs were the main drivers of deposit growth, contributing 91.55 per cent of the total with an increase of 0.79 per cent to Tk 468.05 billion. Public sector deposits grew 0.84 per cent to Tk 43.22 billion, while government deposits within this segment rose 1.28 per cent to Tk 483 million.
The sector continues to be highly concentrated geographically. Dhaka division accounted for 92.39 per cent of total deposits, which grew 1.00 per cent to Tk 472.36 billion, whereas Barishal division contributed a mere 0.16 per cent, underlining the persistent challenges NBFCs face in reaching less-developed regions.
In conclusion, while deposit mobilisation remains robust, cautious lending and uneven regional distribution reflect the sector’s structural challenges and its careful approach to credit allocation amid economic uncertainties.
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