Badrul Ahsan :
Number of depositors having at least taka one crore in their accounts in bank increased by 3,759 during the September-December quarter of the current fiscal indicating lack of investment climate and the growing income disparity in the country, economists said.
Of them , balance of 192 individuals’ deposits are more than Tk 35 crore.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) data also showed that the total number of depositors having taka one crore or more in their bank accounts rose to 65,797 as on December 31 last.
“People who have money are not sure about investment situation in the country. So they are depositing their cash in banks,” A. B. Mirza Azizul Islam, former Advisor to the Caretaker Government told the New Nation.
“Political uncertainty and infrastructure drawback are hindering real growth of investment and employment opportunity in our country reflected in the bank deposit,” he said.
Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, former Governor of Bangladesh Bank, said that people are now used to keep their fund idle in banks as the investments situation in the country is not favourable.
He, however, said that increase of the bank accounts having more than taka one crore should be taken better for the economy instead of capital flight.
“On the other hand, increase of such bank account number is an indication of growing income disparity in the society. We all know that a section of people are struggling for their livelihood, and on the other hand, depositors worth millineries increased. It is a clear indicator of disparity,” he cautioned.
The money market expert also said that if the idle funds in the banks were invested that could have brought better results for the economy.
However, of the 65,797 accounts, 51,741 account holders’ deposit stood above taka one crore, while 769 and 314 men have more than Tk 50 crore and Tk 40 crore respectively in different private and government banks.
In September 2016, number of bank accounts having taka one crore in their bank accounts was 62,038. Of the accounts, 48,897 individuals’ deposit stood more than Tk 1 crore in their bank accounts, while 702 individuals’ deposit stood above Tk 50 crore.
The BB data also showed that consolidated deposit in all the banks increased to Tk 8,99,414 crore.
