Bangladesh Bank may allow non-bank financial institutions to collect deposits for three-month tenure in a bid to solve their current liquidity crisis, a senior BB official has told New Age.
The NBFIs on Sunday demanded that the BB take measures to solve their liquidity crisis by allowing collection of deposit of three-month tenure from clients against the existing six-month tenure.
The NBFIs placed the demand at a meeting between Bangladesh Bank and the Bangladesh Leasing and Finance Companies Association at the central bank headquarters in the capital. BB governor Atiur Rahman presided over the meeting.
BLFCA president Asad Khan told New Age that a number of NBFIs were now facing difficulties as huge amount of their find was now at a stagnant condition in the ailing capital market.
‘Under the circumstances, the BLFCA placed the demand of collecting short-term deposit to the BB and the regulator assured us that it will consider it,’ he said.
BB spokesperson and executive director M Mahfuzur Rahman told New Age that the central bank would consider the NBFIs’ request for the short-term deposit.
He, however, said further scrutiny would be needed in this matter.
Asad said the BLFCA had demanded that the BB exempt the NBFIs from keeping provision till March 2014 against the loss of investment in capital market.
‘In reply to our request, the BB informed us that some banks have already demanded exemption from provisioning. The BB assured that the NBFIs will be able to take the opportunity along with the banks if it (central bank) takes decision in this regard,’ he said.
The BLFCA urged the BB to take measure to withdraw five per cent tax on interest suspense of defaulted loan, Asad said.
‘The NBFIs or banks cannot include the interest suspense with their operating income. For this reasons, the National Board of Revenue should impose tax only on the amount of recovered defaulted loan. Banks do not pay such type of tax’, he said.
Besides, the NBFIs also requested the central bank to take steps to withdraw tax on zero coupon bonds for next two to three years in a bid to strengthen the secondary bond market, Asad said.
When asked whether they urged the NBR to seek exemption from the tax, he said that the NBFIs would go to the NBR, but the BB should take steps in the matter as the central bank was their regulator.
BB spokesperson Mahfuzur said the central bank would give positive opinion to the NBR if it sought any view from the central bank.
-With New Age input
