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Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to meeting all foreign payment obligations on time, noting that although $2.5 billion in dues had accumulated, the central bank is on track to clear them without delay.

Speaking at a Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) discussion, “365 Days of the Interim Government”, in Dhaka’s Gulshan, the governor stressed that Bangladesh has never defaulted on external payments and has restored international banking confidence.

“Remittances provided strong support, exports performed well, and every bank was directed to honour its obligations — whether linked to S Alam, Beximco, or others,” Mansur said. “Now, most foreign banks have reinstated credit lines, with some increasing exposure to Bangladesh.”

Dollar Stability and Anti-Speculation Measures
Mansur said stabilising the exchange rate was a priority in curbing inflation, highlighting that the central bank had not sold a single dollar since 14 August last year. He disclosed a firm stance against Dubai-based dollar aggregators, warning that no purchases would be made unless they adhered to the official Tk122 rate.

“They cannot hold on to dollars for more than 5–7 days,” he remarked, underscoring the central bank’s focus on compliance and market discipline.

Reforms in Banking and Financial Laws
The governor outlined major reforms, including:

Amending the Bank Company Act 1991 to limit board directorships to six years (from 24) and require at least six independent directors from a vetted panel.

Revising the Money Laundering Act to enable asset recovery.

Enacting a new Deposit Insurance Act to empower immediate action against weak banks.

Amending the Money Loan Court Act to prevent prolonged injunctions.

Other initiatives target broader financial inclusion, such as expanding agent banking, school banking (4.5 million accounts), QR-based transactions, startup financing, and affordable housing loans — aiming to raise the sector’s share from 4% to the global average.

Macroeconomic Outlook
Mansur noted that this year’s balance of payments is in surplus, liquidity is improving, and the stock market could gain 1,000 points within a year. Inflation has eased and may drop below 5% by the fiscal year’s end.

However, he cautioned that while financial stability has returned, political uncertainty ahead of national elections continues to influence investor sentiment.

The event at the Lakeshore Hotel was chaired by CPD Distinguished Fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman, with Labour and Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain as chief guest.