1.0 PRELUDE:
Financial stability is considered as the first condition of sustained and rapid economic progress. Among various indicators of financial stability, banks’ non-performing loan (NPL) assumes critical importance since it reflects on the asset quality, credit risk and efficiency in the allocation of resources to productive sectors.
Nonperforming loans (NPLs) refer to those financial assets from which banks no longer receive interest and/or installment payments as scheduled. They are known as non-performing because the loan ceases to “perform” or generate income for the bank. Choudhury et al. (2002: 21-54) state that the nonperforming loan is not a “uniclass” but rather a “multiclass” concept, which means that NPLs can be classified into different varieties usually based on the “length of overdue” of the said loans. NPLs are viewed as a typical byproduct of financial crisis: they are not a main product of the lending function but rather an accidental occurrence of the lending process (Woo, 2000: 2). This is because NPLs can bring down investors’ confidence in the banking system. Only for a few defaulting borrowers, the banks suffer, depositors suffer, performing borrowers suffer, shareholders suffer, Government suffers and consequently economy and the people of the country suffer. The latest data reveal that in Bangladesh banking sector the amount of NPL is Tk 2572.65 crores (7.17% of total loans) up to September 2011. The ratio of NPL was as high as 41.1% in 1999, which came down gradually to the present level as mentioned. Unfortunately, it is much higher than in comparison to some other developing countries and still poses a threat to our banking sector.
Largely based on the findings and recommendations of National Commission on Money, Bangladesh Bank (BB) adopted a number of reform measures since 1989-90 regarding Banking and credit. These measures