Editorial, News & commercial office:
55/A, H M Siddique Mansion (Level-7), Purana Paltan, Motijhel C/A, Dhaka-1000. Phone: +8802226640056,
e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Even as soaring living costs and persistent inflation force lower- and middle-income families across Bangladesh to dip into their savings, bank accounts holding Tk 1 crore or more surged sharply, highlighting growing wealth disparity across the economy.
According to the latest quarterly data released by Bangladesh Bank, the number of bank accounts with balances exceeding Tk 1 crore climbed to 1,41,562 at the end of June. This marks an increase of 5,077 high-value accounts compared to March, when the tally stood at 1,36,485.
Overall banking metrics show that total deposits across 18.63 crore accounts rose to Tk 22,10,444 crore in June, up by Tk 52,419 crore from Tk 21,58,002 crore recorded in March.
Economists and sector analysts point out that this contrasting trajectory illustrates widening income inequality. While vulnerable households deplete savings to manage day-to-day expenditures, corporate profits, high-net-worth individuals, and returning informal cash into formal banking channels have driven significant deposit expansion at the top. The central bank clarified that these figures do not equate directly to individual millionaires, as they encompass institutional accounts, corporations, state agencies, and multi-account holders.
Historically, Bangladesh recorded just five crorepati bank accounts in 1972 following independence. The figure grew to 943 in 1990, reached 19,163 in 2008, and surged to 93,890 by December 2020. Despite economic shocks, the count climbed to 1,16,908 in December 2023, 1,34,044 in December 2025, and has now surpassed 1.41 lakh, reflecting an increasingly concentrated distribution of financial assets.
