BRAC Bank Named Among World's Top 500 Performing Banks By Forbes

🌏 For the first time, US magazine Forbes has published its "World's top performing Banks 2026" list, assessing banks worldwide based on their financial strength and performance. Forbes compiled the list in partnership with market research firm Statista, featuring 500 banks from 89 countries. BRAC Bank has become the only Bangladeshi bank to feature in Forbes' inaugural list of the world's top-performing banks — a milestone that signals international recognition of at least one Bangladeshi bank's financial strength amid the broader banking sector crisis.

📊 Forbes said it compiled the list based on objective financial data from the banks. It used data, research and information from leading data providers such as the S&P Capital IQ platform, along with information submitted by the banks themselves. Forbes ranked the banks based on four key indicators: profitability; growth and earnings quality; capital and funding resilience; and asset quality and efficiency. In addition to these four indicators, Forbes divided the banks into six tiers according to their asset size.

🏛 Forbes Tier Classification

Forbes classified banks with more than $500 billion in assets as Tier 1, or global banks. Banks with assets ranging from $100 billion to $500 billion fall under Tier 2, or large banks. Tier 3 comprises upper mid-size banks with assets of $50 billion to $100 billion. Banks with assets of $20 billion to $50 billion are classified as Tier 4, while those with assets of $10 billion to $20 billion fall under Tier 5. Tier 6 comprises banks with assets of $3 billion to $10 billion.

• 🌏 Total banks on Forbes list: 500
• 🌏 Countries represented: 89
• 🏛 BRAC Bank tier: Tier 5 (lower mid-size, $10-20 billion assets)
• 📊 BRAC Bank rank in Tier 5: 73rd
• 👥 BRAC Bank employees: 7,483
• 📅 Founded: 1999
• 📜 MD and CEO: Tareq Refat Ullah Khan
• 📜 Ranking partner: Statista
• 📜 Data source: S&P Capital IQ

📜 Four Key Performance Indicators

The four Forbes indicators — profitability, growth and earnings quality, capital and funding resilience, and asset quality and efficiency — represent the core dimensions of banking sector strength. For BRAC Bank to have been ranked on all four dimensions demonstrates balanced financial performance rather than strength in a single area. The capital and funding resilience indicator is particularly significant given the broader banking sector's capital adequacy crisis (21 banks with capital shortfalls of nearly Tk 3 lakh crore) — BRAC Bank's inclusion suggests that the bank has maintained adequate capital buffers despite the sector-wide deterioration.

The asset quality and efficiency indicator is also notable — with the banking sector's NPL ratio at 32.78%, BRAC Bank's ability to score well on asset quality suggests that its underwriting standards have been more disciplined than many peers. This is consistent with the bank's established reputation as one of Bangladesh's better-governed private commercial banks.

🤝 CEO Tareq Refat Ullah Khan's Response

Asked about the bank's inclusion in the global list of top-performing banks, BRAC Bank Managing Director and CEO Tareq Refat Ullah Khan told Prothom Alo: "This is not only an achievement for BRAC Bank; it is a major achievement for Bangladesh. BRAC Bank has been conducting its business operations with a strong reputation, good governance and efficiency for a long time."

He further said: "The bank recorded very strong growth across various financial indicators last year. My predecessors had brought the bank to a certain stage. Under my leadership, we have been able to achieve consistent and sustainable growth by complying with the rules and regulations and following the directives of the relevant regulatory authorities, while working together with all employees, entrepreneurs, the board of directors, shareholders and depositors. Our inclusion in Forbes' global list is the result of these collective efforts." The CEO's emphasis on collective effort and predecessor contribution reflects a measured leadership style that has evidently produced results.

"It is a matter of pride for the entire BRAC family as well as for Bangladesh," he added. Founded in 1999, BRAC Bank is currently led by Managing Director and CEO Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, with 7,483 employees according to the bank's official website.

🌏 Strategic Context: Bangladeshi Banking Sector's Mixed Picture

For Bangladesh's broader banking sector, BRAC Bank's Forbes inclusion presents a striking contrast to the sector's overall trajectory. While 21 banks face capital shortfalls of nearly Tk 3 lakh crore, NPLs exceed Tk 6 lakh crore, and the sector's CRAR has fallen to negative 3.17%, BRAC Bank has been recognised internationally for its financial strength. This contrast suggests that Bangladesh's banking sector crisis is not uniform — well-governed private banks with disciplined lending practices have been able to maintain financial health despite the broader sector deterioration.

The Forbes recognition also carries reputational value for Bangladesh's broader financial sector. International investors and correspondent banks that have been reducing exposure to Bangladesh amid the banking sector crisis may take note that at least one Bangladeshi bank meets international performance benchmarks — potentially supporting the restoration of correspondent banking relationships that have been constrained by the sector-wide deterioration.

For BRAC Bank specifically, the Forbes ranking provides a competitive differentiator in the Bangladeshi banking market. As the only Bangladeshi bank with international performance recognition, BRAC Bank can leverage this ranking in its marketing, corporate banking relationships and international trade finance operations — potentially attracting deposits and business from customers who are increasingly concerned about banking sector stability.

The coming months will reveal whether BRAC Bank can sustain its performance trajectory amid the ongoing sector challenges — and whether other Bangladeshi banks can follow its example by achieving the kind of governance and financial discipline that produces international recognition rather than international concern.