Financial sector reforms helped avert major banking challenges: Shah Md Ahsan Habib

Financial sector reform initiatives have helped prevent the serious challenges Bangladesh’s banking sector has faced since the fall of the previous regime, BIBM Professor Shah Md Ahsan Habib said while delivering the keynote speech at an MTB-FE roundtable titled 'Banking Sector Reforms’, organised by The Financial Express (FE) at Six Seasons Hotel in Dhaka on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, he reflected on the major reform initiatives undertaken since August 2024 and highlighted several issues significant to shaping the future direction of reforms.

The session was chaired and moderated by Mr Shamsul Huq Zahid, Editor and CEO of The Financial Express.

The distinguished panel of discussants includes Mr. Mahbubur Rahman, President, ICC Bangladesh, Dr Fahmida Khatun, ED, The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Mr. Salim Rahman, Acting President, BGMEA, Mr. A. K. Azad, Former President, FBCCI, Mr. Syed  Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director, Mutual Trust Bank PLC, Mr. Hassan O. Rashid, Managing Director & CEO, Prime Bank PLC, Mr. Sharif Zahir, Chairman, United Commercial Bank PLC, Mr Syed Abu Naser Bukhtear Ahmed, Chairman, Agrani Bank PLC, Dr. Arifur Rahman, Chairman, Premier Bank PLC, Mr. Md. Monzur Mofiz ,Managing Director (CC), Premier Bank PLC, Mr. Mohammad Naser Ezaz Bijoy, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh, Mr. Taskeen Ahmed, President, DCCI, Ms. Doulot Akter Mala, President, Economic Reporters’ Forum, Mr. Ali Reza Iftekhar, Managing Director, Eastern Bank PLC, Dr. M Masrur Reaz, Chairman, Policy Exchange Bangladesh, Mr. M. Khurshed Alam, Additional Managing Director, NCC Bank PLC , Mr. Alamgir Hossain, Managing Director, Citizens Bank PLC, Mr. Mohammad Ali, Managing Director, Pubali Bank PLC, Mr. Sohail R K Hussain, Managing Director, Bank Asia PLC, Mr. Rizwan Dawood Shams, Managing Director, IPDC Finance PLC, Mr. M. Fazlur Rahman, Chairman, Janata Bank PLC, Mr. Md. Ali Hossain Prodhania, Chairman, NRBC Bank PLC, Dr. Md. Ezazul Islam, Director General, BIBM, Dr. Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, Chairman, RAPID, Mr. Mohammad Hatem, President, BKMEA, Mr. Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairman, BASIC Bank PLC.

Mutual Trust Bank PLC was the title sponsor of the roundtable, while BRAC Bank PLC and NCC Bank PLC were gold sponsors. Trust Bank PLC, Shahjalal Islami Bank PLC, Eastern Bank PLC, and Mercantile Bank PLC were co-sponsors.