Dhaka, June 16 -- Bangladesh's non-performing loans (NPLs) have crossed Tk 4 trillion for the first time in the country's history, with nearly one in every four loans now in default, according to the latest figures from the central bank.

Data released by Bangladesh Bank shows that as of the March 2025 quarter, NPLs stood at Tk 4.20 trillion, representing 24.13 percent of total outstanding loans.

The previous quarter, ending December, recorded NPLs at Tk 3.45 trillion.

Year-on-year, the increase is staggering: defaults have more than doubled, rising by over 130.57 percent from Tk 1.82 trillion in March 2024.

The total volume of outstanding loans at the end of March 2025 was Tk 17.41 trillion.

Quarterly surges have become routine. In t...