Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday said that Bangladesh’s banking and capital market sectors are facing a severe crisis due to years of alleged financial irregularities, weak governance, poor economic management and failure of regulatory oversight.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the ‘Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) Summit 2026’ held at a hotel in the capital.
The minister said that many profitable companies and several private banks are now struggling with serious capital shortages, driven by rising non-performing loans, capital flight and financial embezzlement allegedly carried out through collusion between board members and management.
He also claimed that weaknesses in auditing and financial reporting systems have enabled a range of financial crimes, including money laundering through banking channels, loan fraud based on false documentation and the listing of questionable companies in the capital market.
According to him, some companies that entered the stock market through misrepresentation have grown significantly, discouraging genuinely compliant firms from seeking public listing.
Amir Khosru stressed that restoring investor confidence in financial statements and audit reports is essential to attract both domestic and foreign investment.
He also said that in banking institutions, ownership belongs to shareholders and depositors rather than individuals who use board positions to approve loans for themselves, adding that conflicts of interest must be strictly addressed.
The minister noted growing interest from international investment institutions in Bangladesh, saying that global fund managers and organisations, including JPMorgan, are exploring opportunities and considering large-scale investment funds focused on the country.
He further said the government is considering major reforms in the capital market, financial sector and National Board of Revenue (NBR), but emphasised that professional cooperation and stronger self-regulation will be key to successful implementation.
Finance Secretary Dr Md Khairuzzaman Mozumder chaired the event, while FRC Chairman Dr Md Sajjad Hossain Bhuiyan presented the keynote paper.
