Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Prof Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir spoke at a book launch ceremony at Dhaka University’s Faculty of Business Studies. Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Aug 30, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Prof Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir today said that the ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the country's banking sector has started to decline, offering a ray of hope, although further reduction is needed.

"Non-performing loans declined to 32.6 percent in March this year. We can see a ray of hope that at least the ratio of NPLs is declining. It needs to decline further," he said.

The adviser made the remarks while addressing a book launching ceremony titled "Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation" as the chief guest at the Faculty of Business Studies of the University of Dhaka.

Dr Titumir said the NPL ratio stood at 11 percent in 2024, but a forensic audit conducted in June 2025 found that it had risen to 35.5 percent.

"This means those who were in different responsibilities had cooperated in covering it up. It is also not certain that this is the actual extent; the magnitude could be even higher," he said.

Dr Titumir said the market was not being allowed to function as a market, while market-based regulators were becoming involved in corruption.

"The market is not being allowed to work as a market. Those who are market-based regulators are becoming involved in corruption in ensuring that the market functions properly," he said.

He pointed to asset valuation practices as an example of such collusion.

"If you look at land prices, the same thing is happening. In any kind of asset valuation, surveyors are doing it, auditors are doing it, and chartered secretaries are doing it. That means there is collusion," he said.

The adviser stressed the importance of forensic auditing and fraud prevention in ensuring transparency and accountability.

"Forensic auditing and fraud prevention are very important. If we have to go to arbitration, we actually need evidence to proceed with arbitration. We need evidence that will work properly in arbitration," he said.

The event was chaired by Prof Dr Riazur Rahman Chowdhury of the Department of Accounting, University of Dhaka.

ACC Commissioner (Investigation) Dr Md Sazzad Hossain Bhuiyan attended the programme as a special guest, while Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman was present as the guest of honour.