FBCCI President Sheikh Fahim lauds central bank’s liquidity measures
Banking
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) President Sheikh Fazle Fahim on Monday appreciated the central bank's decision to buy the treasury bills and bonds from banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) to handle any liquidity crisis.
The Bangladesh Bank on Sunday in an unprecedented move decided that the government securities from the secondary bond market will be purchased so that liquidity management of banks and the NBFIs do not face any major challenges due to the situation arisen from coronavirus.
A notice by the central bank said it will buy the securities on the market rate, which will be determined by auction.
Under the decision, the banks will be allowed to sell their T-bills and bonds after holding their statutory liquidity ratio. Lenders hold the majority of the excess liquidity in the form of T-bills and bonds. As of December last year, the excess liquidity in the banking sector stood at Tk1,05,646 crore, according to the central bank.
"The move is praiseworthy. It will assist in liquidity for banks and the NBFIs to extend support in the form of soft loans as needed for businesses – from micro and small and medium to larger sectors – hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic," Sheikh Fahim said in a statement.
"During this difficult time, such measures would encourage entrepreneurs. On behalf of the businesses I express my deepest gratitude towards Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the political and government leaderships concerned for such effective measures," Fahim added.
He said Sunday's move by the central bank was a renewed attempt to keep the country's economy in order despite huge challenges the country was going through under the current situation.
Media reports said the decision has come after the Reserve Bank of India had declared to buy bonds on the open market for a total of Rs100 billion ($1.35 billion) to protect its economy from the prevailing crisis arriving from the coronavirus outbreak.
The central bank rarely purchases T-bills and bonds from banks.
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