Projected fivefold rise in losses demands proper response

The overall losses of state-owned enterprises in Bangladesh may rise by nearly five times in the current fiscal year compared to the previous year, according to a projection by the government.

Eight state-owned enterprises (SOEs) of Bangladesh had a combined default loan of Tk 183.62 crore in February, official figures showed.

The highest loss, at Tk 6,118 crore, was incurred by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) in July-April of the fiscal year. Its provisional loss was Tk 11,163 crore in the full year of 2022-23.

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Bangladesh will likely incur collective losses of Tk 14,703 crore in the coming fiscal year, according to the finance ministry.