The country's six state-owned commercial banks - Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali, Basic and BDBL - are now struggling under the pressure of top loan defaulters. More than half of the total classified loans of these banks are stuck with just 20 big defaulters. Several banks have faced a huge capital deficit due to the disruption in loan recovery. Some have also faced losses along with the financial crisis.
Daily Industry investigation and the report of the Ministry of Finance have also revealed the plight of six state-owned commercial banks. The investigation found that the total classified loans of these six banks - Sonali, Janata, Agrani, Rupali, Basic and BDBL - stood at Tk 1,46,134.8 crore. In contrast, the amount of the top 20 defaulted loans stood at Tk 91,133.2 crore. Only Tk 4,687.2 crore was recovered from these top defaulters in 2025. That is, the recovery rate is only zero.51 percent.
Janata Bank is in the worst condition among the six state-owned commercial banks. At the end of 2025, the bank's top 20 defaulted loans stood at Tk 58,642 crore. Last year, the bank was able to recover only Tk 557.4 lakh from these top 20 defaulters. Earlier, it was able to recover Tk 557.4 lakh in 2024 and Tk 388.4 lakh in 2023. Rupali Bank has recovered the most money from top loan defaulters. The bank owes 8,774.38 crore taka to the top 20 defaulters. Of this, 361.7 crore taka was recovered in 2025. Earlier, Tk 457 million was recovered in 2024 and Tk 684.8 million in 2023. Among the remaining four banks, Sonali Bank owes Tk 6,743 crore to the top 20 defaulters. Of this, Tk 9.4 crore was collected in 2025. Earlier, Tk 7.6 crore was collected in 2024 and Tk 35.28 crore was collected in 2023.
The top 20 defaulted loans of Agrani Bank amount to Tk 13,907.31 crore. The bank recovered Tk 311.4 crore from the top defaulters in 2025. In addition, the bank can recover Tk 438.6 crore in 2024 and Tk 183.3 crore in 2023. BDBL's top 20 defaulted loans amount to Tk 486.69 crore. The bank recovered Tk 69.1 crore from the (See Page-2)
(From Page-1)
top defaulters in 2025. The previous year, it recovered Tk 39.3 crore in 2024 and Tk 90.75 crore in 2023.
The top 20 defaulted loans of BASIC Bank are Tk 2,579.83 crore. The bank recovered Tk 48.2 crore from the top defaulters in 2025. In addition, BASIC Bank can recover Tk 29.4 crore in 2024 and Tk 58.4 crore in 2023.
Picture of classified loans:
At the end of 2025, Sonali Bank's classified loans stood at Tk 17,900 crore. The bank was able to recover Tk 1,190 crore in classified loans in 2025, Tk 580 crore in 2024, and Tk 567 crore in 2023.
Janata Bank was able to recover classified loans of Tk 566.21 crore in 2025. In addition, it was able to recover Tk 302.95 crore in 2024 and Tk 215 crore in 2023. At the end of 2025, the bank's classified loans stood at Tk 72,539 crore.
At the end of 2025, Agrani Bank's classified loans stood at Tk 26,772 crore. The bank was able to recover Tk 699.91 crore in classified loans in 2025, Tk 441 crore in 2024, and Tk 389 crore in 2023.
The amount of classified loans in Rupali Bank stood at Tk 19,670.18 billion at the end of 2025. The bank recovered Tk 1,272.74 billion in classified loans in 2025, Tk 3,814.2 billion in 2024, and Tk 507.39 billion in 2023.
BDBL recovered classified loans worth Tk 316.7 crore in 2025. In addition, it recovered Tk 145.5 crore in 2024 and Tk 173.9 crore in 2023. At the end of 2025, the bank's classified loans stood at Tk 998 crore. The amount of classified loans in Basic Bank stood at Tk 8,254.90 crore at the end of 2025. The bank recovered Tk 123.27 crore in 2025, Tk 149.58 crore in 2024, and Tk 192 crore in 2023.
Capital situation
Among the six state-owned commercial banks, Janata, Agrani, Rupali and Basic Bank have a large capital deficit. Agrani Bank's capital deficit at the end of December 2025 was Tk 23,132.44 crore. In addition, Rupali Bank has an actual capital deficit of Tk 19,602.9 crore and Basic Bank has an actual capital deficit of Tk 9,424 crore.
Information on the actual capital deficit of Janata Bank is not available, but the bank's capital deficit after regulatory forbearance stood at Tk 19,973.6 million at the end of September 2025. After regulatory forbearance, Agrani Bank's capital deficit stood at Tk 8,125.32 million, Rupali Bank's at Tk 6,548.51 million and Basic Bank's at Tk 3,944.53 million. Earlier, in 2024, Sonali Bank had an actual capital deficit of Tk 5,949 crore, Janata Bank had Tk 51,692 crore, Agrani Bank had Tk 21,429 crore 32 lakh, Rupali Bank had Tk 17,331 crore 48 lakh, and Basic Bank had Tk 8,621 crore. In addition, Sonali Bank's capital deficit in 2023 was Tk 4,434 crore. Janata Bank's was Tk 9,539 crore, Agrani Bank's was Tk 12,698 crore, Rupali Bank's was Tk 6,521 crore and Basic Bank's capital deficit was Tk 7,453 crore.
In other words, the actual capital deficit of the banks is seen increasing year by year. However, Sonali Bank came out of the capital deficit in 2025. At the end of the year in question, the actual capital of the bank was Tk 83 crore.
Despite the deposit picture
being plagued by defaulted loans, the deposits of the six state-owned commercial banks are seen increasing. At the end of 2025, the deposits of Sonali Bank (excluding interbank deposits) stood at Tk 1,76,307 crore. In addition, the deposits of Janata Bank stood at Tk 1,25,819 crore, Agrani Bank at Tk 1,13,68 crore, Rupali Bank at Tk 71,264.59 crore, BDBL at Tk 3,158.12 crore and Basic Bank at Tk 15,475 crore.
Earlier, in 2024, Sonali Bank had deposits of Tk 1,61,760 crore, Janata Bank had Tk 1,92,060 crore, Agrani Bank had Tk 98,709 crore, Rupali Bank had Tk 68,589 crore, BDBL had Tk 2,753 crore, and Basic Bank had Tk 13,553 crore.
In 2023, Sonali Bank had deposits of Tk 1,46,674 crore, Janata Bank had deposits of Tk 1,09,692 crore, Agrani Bank had deposits of Tk 97,497 crore, Rupali Bank had deposits of Tk 65,921.89 crore, BDBL had deposits of Tk 3,544 crore and Basic Bank had deposits of Tk 14,693 crore.
Loan Situation
By the end of 2025, Sonali Bank had disbursed loans of Tk 95,398 crore (excluding staff loans). During the same period, Janata Bank had disbursed loans of Tk 97,933 crore, Agrani Bank had disbursed loans of Tk 73,726 crore, Rupali Bank had disbursed loans of Tk 47,214 crore 67 lakh, BDBL had disbursed loans of Tk 2,140 crore 56 lakh and Basic Bank had disbursed loans of Tk 12,407 crore. Earlier, in 2024, Sonali Bank disbursed loans of Tk 90,842 crore, Janata Bank of Tk 94,169 crore, Agrani Bank of Tk 72,625 crore. In addition, Rupali Bank disbursed Tk 47,518 crore, BDBL of Tk 2,174 crore and Basic Bank of Tk 12,541 crore.
Picture of written-off loans
Among the six state-owned banks, Sonali Bank has the highest written-off loans. At the end of 2025, the bank's written-off loans stood at Tk 9,481 crore. In addition, Janata Bank's Tk 3,161 crore 29 lakh, Agrani Bank's Tk 4,687 crore, Rupali Bank's Tk 4,93 crore 89 lakh, BDBL's Tk 1,407 crore 5 lakh and Basic Bank's Tk 2,442 crore have been written-off.
Although in 2025, Sonali Bank was able to recover Tk 900 million, Janata Bank Tk 593.9 million, Agrani Bank Tk 632.6 million, Rupali Bank Tk 252 million, BDBL Tk 41 million, and Basic Bank Tk 318 million.
Earlier, in 2024, Sonali Bank could recover Tk 41 crore, Janata Bank Tk 65 crore 97 lakh, Agrani Bank Tk 41 crore, Rupali Bank Tk 44.26 crore, BDBL Tk 7.19 crore and Basic Bank Tk 12.20 crore of written-off loans.
Profit picture:
Sonali Bank made an operating profit of Tk 8,170 crore at the end of 2025. In addition, Agrani Bank made an operating profit of Tk 2,502 crore and Rupali Bank made an operating profit of Tk 1,787.6 lakh. In contrast, Janata Bank made an operating loss of Tk 3,599 crore, BDBL made an operating loss of Tk 526.7 lakh and Basic Bank made an operating loss of Tk 786.7 lakh.
When contacted, former chairman of Sonali Bank, Mohammad Muslim Chowdhury, told Daily Industry that despite being declared as a public limited company, many banks are still being run like government departments. To get out of this situation, an independent and professional board of directors with skilled and experienced people must be formed. At the same time, the board must be given full power to appoint and remove managing directors.
He said, “Currently, a few big defaulters have huge debts stuck with them, which have become difficult to recover. Without special measures against such defaulters, it is almost impossible to recover the money.”
The economist said, “In many countries, strict action is taken against willful defaulters, as a result of which they can no longer easily conduct business. In our neighboring country, India, such defaulters are made to live in hell.”
He also said that banks are facing a capital deficit due to defaulted loans. This has forced the government to recapitalize them with taxpayer money, which has created a vicious cycle.
Regarding loan write-off, Muslim Chowdhury said, “It is not negative, but a way to clean up the bank's balance sheet. However, write-off does not mean that the defaulter's liability is being waived. Rather, it is necessary to highlight the real situation and maintain financial transparency.”
He said that it is not possible to get rid of this banking sector crisis without strong laws, an effective judiciary, professional bank management, and strict accountability.
Agrani Bank Chairman Syed Abu Naser Bakhtiar Ahmed told Daily Industry that nearly one lakh crore taka is stuck with the top 20 defaulters of six banks, which poses a major risk. Having such a large amount of money stuck with just 20 borrowers is definitely a weakness for the banking sector.
He said strict action should be taken against willful defaulters. However, it is also important to help provide a recovery opportunity to customers who are in trouble for business or financial reasons.
When asked about the steps taken by Agrani Bank to recover its debts, Syed Abu Naser Bakhtiar Ahmed said that Agrani Bank has already been able to reschedule debts worth about Tk 10,000 crore and has recovered more than Tk 1,000 crore in cash. The amount of recovery will increase further by the end of this year.
He said, “We are working on setting goals. The board of directors and officials are working actively. Hopefully, we will see better progress by December.”
