The number of individual bank accounts holding Tk 10 million or more in Bangladesh increased by over 7,000 during the one-and-a-half-year tenure of the Dr. Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, according to the latest figures from Bangladesh Bank.
It means that the number of rich people have increased in the country during the period of the interim government in the country.
Central bank data from its latest 'Banking Sector Update' shows that such individual accounts rose from 33,629 in September 2024 to 40,645 by the end of March 2026, reports UNB.
This represents an addition of 7,016 new accounts-a growth of nearly 21 per cent.
Total deposits held in these high-value individual accounts increased from Tk 872 billion in September 2024 to Tk 914 billion in March 2026.
Economists and banking sector analysts noted that a 21 per cent surge in such accounts within such a short span - amid high inflation, economic stagnation, historically low private sector credit growth, and persistent poverty pressures - does not fully align with typical economic trends, calling for an in-depth investigation into the underlying drivers.
A senior Bangladesh Bank official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested that following the political changeover, new influential groups emerged across various sectors.
A portion of funds generated through illegal activities, such as extortion and land grabbing, may have entered the banking system, contributing to the rise.
However, former Finance Adviser and former central bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed noted that multiple factors could be involved.
He explained that following the reconstitution of the board of directors at several weak banks, many depositors withdrew their fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) and transferred them to relatively stronger banks.
He added that the emergence of a new business class and a preference for keeping liquid cash in banks might have also played a role.
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