25 defaulters owe banks Tk 9,696cr

The amount of defaulted loans of top 25 defaulters stood at Tk 9,696 crore as of September last year, according to a Bangladesh Bank list.

The central bank submitted the list at a meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban yesterday.

The committee had asked the BB to submit a report detailing the loan defaulters' family identities and how much money each of them took and from which bank.

The amount of loan defaults of Mohammad Ilias Brothers is Tk 889.49 crore, Quantum Power Systems Ltd Tk 558.9 crore, Jashim Vegetable Oil Ltd Tk 547.95 crore, Max Spinning Mills Tk 525.60 crore, Benetex Industries Tk 516.94 crore, Dhaka Trade Housing Tk 485.29 crore,  Anwar Spinning Mills Tk 474.37 crore, Siddique Traders Tk 428.57 crore, Yasir Enterprise Tk 414.80 crore, Alfa Composite Towels Ltd Tk 401.73 crore, Legend Holdings Tk 347.85 crore, Hallmark Fashion Ltd Tk 339.34 crore, Mac International Tk 338.74 crore, Monno Fabrics Tk 338.37 crore, Fair Trade Fabrics Tk 322.4 crore, Saharis Composite Towel Tk 312.96 crore, Nurjahan Super Oil Ltd Tk 304.49 crore, Keya Yarn Ltd Tk 292.53 crore, Saleh Carpet Mills Tk 287.1 crore, Fair Yarn Processing Ltd Tk 273.16 crore, SK Steel Tk 271.48 crore, Chowdhury Knitwear Tk 269.38 crore, Help Line Resources Ltd Tk 258.30 crore, Six Seasons Apartment Ltd Tk 254.57 crore and Bismillah Towels Ltd 243.84 crore.        

A lawmaker present at yesterday's meeting told The Daily Star that the committee asked the BB and finance ministry officials to find out the obstacles to realise defaulted loan.

The committee also suggested forming a joint committee comprising BB and finance ministry officials. The committee would have to submit its report in 45 days.

The report should also mention whether the relevant law needs to be amended to minimise loan defaults.

Loan defaulters of one bank often take new loans from other banks after filing writ petitions with the High Court seeking its order to stay their status as loan defaulters, Abdur Razzaque, chief of the parliamentary standing committee, told reporters.

“That's why we are thinking about sitting with the law ministry,” he said.