Photo: Collected

DHAKA, May 13, 2026 (BSS)  - The Debt Management Department of Bangladesh Bank (BB) has witnessed an overwhelming investor response as bids for the 8th Bangladesh Government Investment Sukuk exceeded the offered amount by nearly 12.30 times.

The Islamic bond, officially titled the “CIBRR-1 Socio-Economic Development Sukuk,” was auctioned on Wednesday at the central bank headquarters to finance the “Construction of Important Bridges on Rural Roads – 1st Revised (CIBRR-1)” project, said a press release today.

Against a total face value of Taka 5,900 crore, the auction attracted bids amounting to Taka 72,597.94 crore, reflecting strong confidence in Shariah-compliant government investment instruments.

The seven-year Sukuk carries an annual profit or lease rate of 10.40 percent.

 Due to the massive oversubscription, Bangladesh Bank allocated the Sukuk certificates among investors on a pro-rata basis.

The auction was conducted through Bangladesh Bank’s dedicated Shariah Securities Module (SSM), an internal digital platform designed to facilitate Islamic securities operations efficiently.

 To enhance liquidity and encourage institutional participation, the Sukuk has been recognized as an eligible asset for maintaining the Statutory Liquidity Reserve (SLR).

 In addition, Shariah-based banks and conventional banks operating Islamic windows or branches will be able to use the Sukuk certificates as collateral under the Islamic Banks Liquidity Facility (IBLF).

The auction drew participation from a broad range of investors, including Islamic banks and financial institutions, conventional banks with Islamic banking operations, insurance companies, mutual funds, provident funds, deposit insurance entities, and individual investors.

 The strong participation from retail and category-based investors highlighted the increasing popularity of Islamic financial products among the public.

According to official data, Taka 441.62 crore worth of Sukuk certificates were allocated to 1,011 successful individual and category-based bidders. Secondary market trading of the CIBRR-1 Sukuk is scheduled to begin on May 14, 2026.

Funds raised through the Sukuk issuance will be utilized for the construction of important bridges on rural roads across Bangladesh under the CIBRR-1 project.

The initiative is expected to strengthen rural connectivity, facilitate trade and transportation, and improve socio-economic conditions in different regions of the country through enhanced infrastructure development.