Dhaka, Feb. 16 -- A downturn in gains from investment in government securities prompts banks to begin lowering deposit and lending rates both with their attention now switched to private-sector lending, sources say.

According to bankers and money-market analysts, initially, the commercial lenders are cutting down rates on deposit and advances for corporate entities and planned to do the same for the commoners from April next under the gradually-changing scenario in interest regime.

Amid the persisting economic sluggishness because of the business uncertainties after the recent mass uprising, they said, the banks have been using the high-yield investment window of treasury bills and bonds to make some sort of profits even in the existing...