DHAKA, Jan 18, 2018 (BSS) – Bangladesh Bank (BB) is planning to hold a tripartite meeting to find out ways to strengthen the Alternative Dispute Regulation (ADR) system to settle the huge number of cases in the banking sector.

“ADR is gradually becoming a popular process to settle the huge number of cases in the banking sector. The central bank is also providing all sorts of supports to expedite the process and making it more effective,” a BB high official told BSS here today.

He said BB is going to organise the meeting in the next month with Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) and Bangladesh International Arbitration Center (BIAC) to make ADR more effective.

In a recent meeting with managing directors of the commercial banks, the senior official said, bankers also emphasised on strengthening the ADR process to settle the claims of the Non-Performing Loan (NPL) as it is increasingly becoming a matter of concern for the banking sector.

“Based on the meeting, BB is taking necessary steps to organise the tripartite meeting to make smooth the process of ADR,” he added.

Under the ADR process, there were 5,832 cases involving Taka 4,180 crore till June 2017. Out of those, 3,586 cases involving Taka 1,078 crore were settled. The rate of settlement under the process is around 61 percent.

The recovery rate under the process is also good as around Taka 466 crore was recovered till June 2017.

The BB senior official said Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) is the best performer to settle the banking related cases under the ADR process.

Out of the total cases, RAKUB got a total of 4,356 cases involving Taka 63.86 crore in June 2017. The bank settled 2,757 cases involving Taka 53.08 crore during the period. The bank also recovered Taka 29.92 crore till June 2017.

Talking to BSS, RAKUB Deputy General Manager Nazmul Haque said RAKUB is planning to further expedite the process.

According to Bangladesh Bank’s latest data, out of the total outstanding loans of the around Taka 7,53,000 crore, the amount of NPL was Taka 80, 307 crore up to September 2017. The percentage share classified loan to total outstanding was 10.67 percent.

Another BB official said a total of 24 commercial banks are settling their cases under ADR process.

He urged the all commercial banks, including Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBB) and Rupali Bank and Pubali Bank, to come forward for settling their cases under the ADR process.

He hoped that the amount of NPL will come down at a tolerable level under the ADR process.

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