The special Credit Information Bureau (CIB) cell of Bangladesh Bank (BB) has identified around 100 electoral candidates as loan defaulters.
Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesman, Sirajul Islam, confirmed this to the Dhaka Tribune, adding that the candidate list was sent to them by the Election Commission, after which the CIB Cell identified the defaulters from the list.
The CIB cell started its verification of the candidate’ credit information from November 29, BB sources said.
The central bank established the CIB cell to verify the credit information of prospective candidates in the upcoming national polls.
According to the Bangladesh Bank sources, from the beginning of November, a growing number of people have been crowding different banks for loan rescheduling. Since November 8, 250 applications have come to the central bank.
During this time, commercial banks have sent applications for re-scheduling, payment of outstanding installments, and various types of applications, including waiver of loan interest on behalf of their customers.
Sources also said that all the borrower information from banks and financial institutions is stored at the CIB cell.
As per law, aspiring election candidates are required to submit BB certificates with their nomination papers to the Election Commission, declaring them non-defaulters.
Failure to comply with this bars them from contesting in the upcoming general election.
