Premier Bank Strengthens Enterprise-Wide Risk Oversight

Premier Bank PLC has reaffirmed its commitment to resilient and forward-looking banking by convening its Annual Risk Conference 2025 at the bank’s Head Office in Dhaka. Held under the theme “Proactive Risk Management for Sustainable Growth”, the conference brought together members of the Board of Directors, senior management and key officials to deliberate on the evolving risk landscape confronting the banking sector.

Dr Arifur Rahman, Chairman of the Board of Directors, attended the programme as Chief Guest and underscored the strategic importance of embedding risk awareness at every level of the organisation. He emphasised that prudent risk management is no longer a regulatory obligation alone, but a fundamental driver of sustainable growth, investor confidence and long-term financial stability.

The conference was presided over by Md Sazzad Hossain, Independent Director and Chairman of the Risk Management Committee. In his remarks, he highlighted the need for stronger governance structures, robust internal controls and a culture that anticipates risk rather than merely reacting to it. Syed Faridul Islam, Independent Director and Chairman of the Executive Committee, and M Nurul Alam, FCS, CCEP-I, CGIA, Independent Director and Chairman of Premier Bank Securities Limited, joined as Special Guests and shared perspectives on board-level oversight and market discipline.

Senior management participation reflected the institution’s whole-of-bank approach to risk. Notable attendees included Md Monzur Mofiz, Managing Director (Current Charge); Nasim Sekandar, Additional Managing Director and Head of Gulshan Branch; Niamat Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director and Motijheel Branch Manager; Abdul Quaium Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director and Dilkusha Branch Manager; Mohammed Al-Amin, Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer; S M Wali Ul Morshed, Deputy Managing Director; and Md Naquibul Islam, SEVP and Chief Risk Officer.

Discussions centred on emerging and interconnected risks, including credit concentration, capital adequacy pressures, liquidity stress, funding resilience, governance challenges and heightened regulatory compliance. Speakers stressed aligning the bank’s risk governance framework with international best practices, Basel III standards and the latest Bangladesh Bank guidelines.

A key technical session, “Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR) and ICAAP: A Case Study”, was delivered by Mohammed Nasir Uddin, Assistant Vice President of the Risk Management Division. The presentation examined how provisioning shortfalls can adversely affect the Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) and leverage ratios, reinforcing the necessity of forward-looking capital planning and stress testing.

Adding an academic perspective, Md Alamgir and Dr Md Shohid Ullah, Associate Professors at the Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM), shared insights on contemporary risk management practices, supervisory expectations and the growing emphasis on enterprise-wide risk integration.

The conference concluded with a collective pledge to strengthen proactive risk management, enhance capital planning discipline and uphold strict compliance with Basel III principles, positioning Premier Bank for sustainable growth amid an increasingly complex financial environment.

Key Focus Areas of the Conference

This strategic engagement underscored Premier Bank’s resolve to navigate uncertainty with prudence, foresight and robust governance.