Written by The Banking Post
BRAC Bank’s senior leadership has underscored the need for stronger governance, strict compliance, and proactive preparedness to address the risks that may emerge in the coming years.
The call came during the bank’s Annual Risk Conference 2025, according to a media release.
Veteran bankers and risk specialists highlighted rising threats in money laundering, digital banking ecosystem as financial institutions face a rapidly changing risk landscape.
They emphasized the importance of reassessing current risk management practices and equipping them to withstand future disruptions.
The Annual Risk Conference is part of BRAC Bank’s continuous effort to strengthen coworkers’ understanding of risks in day-to-day banking operations and to develop effective ways to manage them.
In the hybrid conference, more than 1,000 co-workers, including Branch Managers, Branch Operations Managers, In-charge of Sub-branches joined the daylong conference in-person and virtually at the bank’s head office in Dhaka on November 29, 2025.
Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, Managing Director & CEO, BRAC Bank, inaugurated the risk conference. Surabhi Ghosh, Additional Director, Department of Off-site Supervision (DOS), Bangladesh Bank, attended as the special guest.
Dr. Zahid Hussain, Independent Director, Member of the Board Risk Management Committee, BRAC Bank, presented on the “Macroeconomic Outlook – LDC Graduation and Trade Tariff”. Anita Ghazi Rahman, Independent Director; and Lila Rashid, Independent Director; were present.
Meheriar M Hasan, Chairperson, BRAC Bank; and Asif Khan, President of the CFA Society Bangladesh and the Chairman of EDGE AMC Limited; and Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, Managing Director & CEO, BRAC Bank; participated in a panel discussion on “Economic Forecasting & Bank’s Readiness – A Roadmap for 2026”.
The session was moderated by Ahmed Rashid Joy, Deputy Managing Director and CRO, BRAC Bank.
Salek Ahmed Abul Masrur, Independent Director and the Chairperson of Board Risk Management Committee (BRMC), BRAC Bank; Chowdhury MAQ Sarwar, Independent Director and the Chairperson of the Board Audit Committee, BRAC Bank; and Sheikh Mohammad Ashfaque, Deputy Managing Director and Head of Branch Distribution Network; took part in a panel discussion on “Building a Data-driven, People-powered AML Framework”. The interactive discussion was moderated by Chowdhury Moinul Islam, Deputy Managing Director and CAMLCO, BRAC Bank.
Mahmuda Haque, Joint Director, Department of Off-site Supervision (DOS), Bangladesh Bank, conducted a session on “Strengthening Risk Management: Recent Initiatives of Bangladesh Bank”, while Kazi Farook Kamal, Head of Credit- Retail, SME and Wealth Management, Dubai Islamic Bank, made a presentation on “Risk Landscape – Retail Lending.”
Kazi Farook Kamal stated, “Risk culture and stress testing are essential for defining an organization’s risk awareness and resilience. Stress testing should be ongoing, enabling organizations to proactively identify vulnerabilities. A strong risk culture empowers employees to recognize and address potential risks, enhancing decision-making and strengthening resilience against uncertainty.”
Speaking at the conference, Surabhi Ghosh, Additional Director, Department of Off-site Supervision (DOS), Bangladesh Bank, said: “Risk is an inherent aspect of the banking sector, stemming from a multitude of sources. The Bangladesh Bank is actively preparing, designing, and implementing necessary changes, including the introduction of new policies and supervision departments, to address this issue more effectively.”
Commenting on the conference, Meheriar M. Hasan, Chairperson, BRAC Bank, said: “Banks face various risks every day, and strengthening our people’s skills is essential to manage them effectively. This conference is designed especially for our frontline colleagues, who encounter these challenges directly. We hope they return with sharper insights and apply them confidently in their work.”
Salek Ahmed Abul Masrur, Independent Director and Chairperson of the Board Risk Management Committee, BRAC Bank, said: “As a values-driven bank, we prioritise strong risk management and good governance. We appreciate Bangladesh Bank’s steady guidance in this journey. Through ongoing training and awareness, we aim to further strengthen our capabilities and set a benchmark for responsible banking in the industry.”
