The political instability over the past year has significantly reduced private sector investment in Bangladesh, leading to a year-on-year increase of Tk51,696 crore in banks’ excess liquid assets. According to data from Bangladesh Bank, the total excess liquid assets in the banking sector—including securities—stood at Tk2.15 lakh crore at the end of December 2024, compared to Tk1.63 lakh crore a year earlier. While excess liquid assets rose, excess cash holdings in banks declined by Tk2,291 crore, standing at Tk17,675 crore at the ...