Small and medium-sized depositors continue to form the backbone of Bangladesh’s banking sector, underpinning the country’s financial stability. Banks are increasingly adopting digital initiatives and other customer-friendly strategies to attract these deposits, which have contributed significantly to overall banking growth. Remittances from overseas Bangladeshis have also played a crucial role in boosting deposit levels.
According to a recent report by Bangladesh Bank, 92 per cent of all bank accounts hold deposits of less than BDT 1 crore, while only eight per cent of accounts contain more than BDT 1 crore. Within this, 13 per cent of total deposits come from accounts holding less than BDT 2 lakh, and a substantial 55 per cent of deposits are from accounts with balances ranging between BDT 2 lakh and BDT 25 lakh. These figures indicate that the banking sector’s deposit base relies heavily on small and medium-sized savers.
Syed Mahbubur Rahman, former chairman of the Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) and managing director of Mutual Trust Bank, told Prothom Alo that banks consistently aim to increase small or retail deposits. “Such deposits are sustainable and not easily withdrawn in large amounts. Additionally, interest rates on retail deposits are generally lower. Banks with a higher share of retail deposits have a stronger foundation,” he said.
Deposit and Loan Growth
Despite political and economic uncertainties in 2025, deposits in the banking sector grew by 11.5 per cent, while loan growth reached 5.6 per cent. At the end of 2024, total bank deposits stood at BDT 18,83,700 crore, rising to BDT 21,50,000 crore by the end of last year. Loans disbursed increased from BDT 16,82,900 crore to BDT 17,77,300 crore over the same period.
First-generation private banks and state-owned commercial banks led deposit growth. Deposits in first-generation banks rose by 15.3 per cent, while state-owned banks recorded an 11.6 per cent increase. Household deposits, representing balances up to BDT 1 crore, grew from BDT 10,34,100 crore to BDT 11,80,600 crore, a 14.2 per cent rise in one year.
Deposits by Size
| Deposit Range (BDT) | End of 2024 (Crore) | End of 2025 (Crore) | Share of Total Deposits | Number of Accounts (Million) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 lakh | 1,38,100 | 1,56,700 | 13% | 135.9 → 154.8 |
| 2 lakh – 25 lakh | 5,52,200 | 6,52,200 | 55% | 93 → 111 |
| 25 lakh – 50 lakh | 1,37,600 | 1,57,300 | 13% | 3.81 → 4.34 |
| 50 lakh – 1 crore | 1,12,000 | 1,26,000 | 11% | 1.62 → 1.81 |
| Above 1 crore | 83,500 | 83,100 | 8% | 0.035 → 0.038 |
The report highlights that while the number of large deposit accounts remains small, the vast majority of deposits continue to originate from smaller savers, cementing their critical role in Bangladesh’s banking ecosystem.