25% of Pre-Finance Loans to Be Disbursed This Month: BB Governor

TBS Report, Dhaka — Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostaqur Rahman has said 25 percent of loans under its low-cost, easy-term pre-finance schemes would be disbursed this month (September 2026), with full disbursement completed by December — providing a concrete timeline for the Tk 60,000 crore stimulus package rollout.

"We will disburse 25 percent of the funds under the schemes this month and complete the disbursement by December. Its impact on the economy will be visible next year," the governor said at a programme titled "A Cashless Ecosystem for Financial Inclusion" organised by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) in Dhaka on 3 September 2026.

💰 Tk 60,000 Crore Stimulus Package Timeline

• 💰 Package size: Tk 60,000 crore
• 📅 September 2026: 25% disbursement (~Tk 15,000 crore)
• 📅 December 2026: full disbursement (~Tk 60,000 crore)
• 📅 2027: economic impact expected to become visible
• 💰 17 banks signed: for Tk 41,000 crore disbursement
• 👥 Priority sectors: agriculture and SMEs
• 👥 Geographic focus: rural area borrowers

📱 Bangla QR Payment System

Speaking about the Bangla QR payment system, the governor said several large companies had sought an extension before its implementation deadline, but the central bank had refused to grant additional time.

"I had made it clear that not a single extra day would be given. Had they failed to comply, the regulator would have shut them down," he said. The government will make Bangla QR codes mandatory for obtaining trade licences in the future.

• 📱 Bangla QR merchants at launch: ~8 lakh
• 📱 Current Bangla QR merchants: 32 lakh (4x growth)
• 📱 Bangla QR transactions: Tk 3,578 crore in 8 weeks
• 💰 Benefits: curb extortion, increase government revenue, formalise transactions

📊 Inflation Outlook

On inflation, Mostaqur said persistent high inflation had previously limited the scope for cutting the policy interest rate. "There was pressure because inflation was so high that the policy rate could not be reduced," he said.

• 📊 Inflation not fallen as expected: due to price pressures in two major products
• 📊 Governor found scope for improvement in inflation data generation
• 📊 Target inflation: bring down to ~7%
• 📊 Current average inflation (FY23-FY26): 9.3%

🌏 Strategic Context

• 📊 Tk 60,000 crore stimulus: 17 banks signed for Tk 41,000 crore
• 📊 7% interest rate for borrowers (vs 10%+ market rate)
• 📊 Private sector credit growth: 4.47% (historic low)
• 📊 FY26 GDP growth: 4.14%
• 📊 22-23 lakh youth entering labour market annually
• 📊 BB net profit FY26: Tk 25,977 crore (from liquidity support)

🌏 Strategic Implications

• ✅ 25% disbursement in September: ~Tk 15,000 crore entering economy
• ✅ Full disbursement by December: Tk 60,000 crore total
• ✅ Economic impact in 2027: governor's expectation
• ✅ Agriculture and SMEs priority: targeted sectoral allocation
• ✅ Rural area focus: geographic targeting
• ✅ Bangla QR 32 lakh merchants: 4x growth from launch
• ✅ Mandatory for trade licences: future enforcement mechanism
• ⚠️ Inflation data quality: governor found improvement scope
• ⚠️ Two unnamed products: driving persistent inflation
• ⚠️ 7% inflation target: still above 4-5% benchmark

The governor's announcement of 25 percent disbursement in September provides the first concrete timeline for the Tk 60,000 crore stimulus package — with approximately Tk 15,000 crore entering the economy this month and full disbursement by December 2026. The targeted focus on agriculture, SMEs, and rural borrowers aligns the stimulus with the sectors most affected by the gas crisis and economic slowdown. Combined with the Bangla QR expansion (32 lakh merchants, 4x growth) and the mandatory trade licence integration, the central bank is pursuing a dual strategy of monetary stimulus and digital payment infrastructure development to support economic recovery through the LDC graduation transition period.