The central bank is scrutinising the flow of commercial banks' credit to different sectors and assessing its impact in the context of the country's economic growth, officials said.
This is being done under an ongoing study.
"It is important that credit goes to the real sectors to ensue meaningful growth of the economy," a BB senior official told the FE Sunday while explaining the main objective of the study.
"We're still working on the issue," the central banker noted.
The most part of the total 'outstanding' loans until March 2016 went to consumers financing, readymade garment (RMG) and other commercial activities, according to initial findings of the study.
The total 'outstanding' consumer loans grew by nearly 15 per cent to Tk 218 billion as on March 31 last from Tk 190 billion in the same period of the previous calendar year while the 'outstanding' loans of RMG sector increased by more than 15 per cent to Tk 801 billion from Tk 696 billion during the same period.
The total 'outstanding' loans for commercial purposes rose by nearly 23 per cent to Tk 1090 billion over a period of one year from Tk 887 billion in March 2015, the BB data showed.
The commercial purpose loans covering trade financing, retail and corporate entities increased significantly until March last as most of the banks offered lower interest rates while lending to their clients, particularly corporate ones to minimise their cost of funds, another BB official said.
He also said loans against public sector work orders, which were issued as payments for development projects, have been increased recently. "It has contributed to rise in commercial loans."
The total 'outstanding' loans with the private sector rose to Tk 6364.42 billion in March 2016 from Tk 5526.69 billion in the same month of 2015.
The central bank took the latest move after exceeding the private sector credit growth target set by it in its monetary policy, for the January-June period of the ongoing fiscal year.
The central bank had projected that the private sector credit would grow at 14.8 per cent in June 2016 from 13.8 per cent in December 2015.
The private sector credit growth has already reached at 15.59 per cent in April last on a year-on-year basis from 15.16 per cent in March, 2016. The credit growth was 15.11 per cent in February.
"It may exceed 16 per cent by the end of this month," Biru Pasksha Paul, chief economist of the BB, told the FE earlier.
The central bank has already asked the commercial banks to ensure the quality of credit for helping lessen the amount of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the country's banking sector.
