National Bank depositors to get full access to funds from October 15

Customers of National Bank PLC will be able to avail themselves of all banking services, including withdrawing money, from October 15, 2026, as per their requirements, from all branches and ATM booths across the country.

From the same day, counter services, the mobile app, internet banking and all other digital and online services of the bank will be fully operational, said the troubled private bank after its top brass met with Bangladesh Bank Governor Md Mostaqur Rahman yesterday at the central bank’s headquarters in Dhaka.

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At the meeting, the central bank assured National Bank of its support, including providing fresh liquidity to help the lender repay its depositors.

Mostaqur said protecting depositors would remain the regulator’s priority and that the central bank would provide liquidity support so customers can access their funds.

He instructed National Bank to take the necessary measures to ensure that all its depositors can withdraw money according to their requirements from all branches and ATM booths of the bank.

“Depositors must not be turned away under any circumstances. From October 15, they will get their money back. In this regard, the bank will be provided with liquidity support as needed,” said BB Executive Director and Spokesperson Arief Hossain Khan.

National Bank incurred nearly Tk 9,000 crore in losses in the four years since 2022. In 2025, the private bank suffered a loss of Tk 2,430 crore, which is 41 percent higher than the previous year’s loss of Tk 1,722 crore, according to its annual report.

The bank’s non-performing loan ratio to total outstanding loans stood at 59.69 percent at the end of 2025.

At the meeting, National Bank Chairman Melita Mehjabeen told the governor that the central bank’s recent measures had made good governance possible at the bank, and that positive changes had been made in senior management to improve its efficiency and capability.

The latest decision to provide liquidity to the bank comes after four depositors of the bank approached the High Court last month seeking access to their savings.

NBL, one of the oldest private banks in Bangladesh, is among the lenders that received uncollateralised liquidity support from BB over the last several years amid fund shortages and high non-performing loans.

As of early June 2026, BB had provided Tk 76,000 crore ($6.2 billion) in liquidity support to weak banks, said Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in parliament in late June. NBL received Tk 10,568 crore from the central bank.

The largest share of the BB support went to First Security Islami Bank, with outstanding borrowing of Tk 15,810 crore. BB also provided Tk 12,010 crore to EXIM Bank, Tk 10,841 crore to Social Islami Bank, Tk 5,420 crore to Union Bank and Tk 5,000 crore to Premier Bank.

The central bank also lent Tk 4,270 crore to AB Bank, Tk 3,003 crore to Global Islami Bank and Tk 624 crore to Bangladesh Commerce Bank. It also provided around Tk 9,000 crore in liquidity support to Islami Bank. Besides, BB extended liquidity support to ICB Islamic Bank, Padma Bank and BASIC Bank, said the minister in parliament.