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Bangladesh's Defaulted Loans Exceed 6 Lakh Crore: Why Did the Problem Escalate Under Yunus?
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News18•22-09-2026, 01:16
Bangladesh's Defaulted Loans Exceed 6 Lakh Crore: Why Did the Problem Escalate Under Yunus?
- •Sheikh Mujibur Rahman once lamented Bangladesh as a 'mine of thieves' after independence, a sentiment that now seems to define the nation.
- •Thirty-three percent of total bank loans in Bangladesh are defaulted, the highest globally, surpassing even war-torn Ukraine.
- •By March 2026, defaulted loans reached 6 lakh 6 thousand 555 crore taka, an increase of 3 lakh 95 thousand 164 crore taka in two years after Hasina's departure.
- •Eighty percent of the total defaulted loans belong to five merged banks: Exim Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Union Bank, and Global Islami Bank.
- •Allegations suggest that during Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus's tenure as chief advisor of the interim government, defaulted loans surged, and he allegedly arranged benefits for his own institutions.
Key Questions Answered
According to Bangladeshi bank figures, the total amount of defaulted loans in the country has increased to 6 lakh 6 thousand 555 crore taka, accounting for thirty-three percent of the total loans given by banks and placing Bangladesh at the top of the global list.
Eighty percent of the defaulted loans belong to five specific banks that were merged in Bangladesh: Exim Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Union Bank, and Global Islami Bank.
Following Sheikh Hasina's departure, defaulted loans surged rapidly from 2 lakh 11 thousand 391 crore taka in June 2024 to 6 lakh 6 thousand 555 crore taka by March 2026, marking an increase of 3 lakh 95 thousand 164 crore taka over a two-year period.
