Dhaka Nov 27 (V7N) – Bangladesh Bank has issued a new directive allowing its senior officials to be appointed as managing directors of commercial banks, introducing a revised set of qualification requirements intended to broaden leadership options while maintaining strong regulatory standards.

The circular, released on Wednesday, states that central bank officials must have a minimum of 25 years of experience in first-class or equivalent positions to qualify for the role of managing director. They must also have experience working as officers under the second grade of the national pay scale. This requirement places central bank officials under a stricter eligibility framework compared to their counterparts in commercial banks, who can qualify for the role with at least 20 years of banking experience.

The previous rule, in effect during the former government, allowed individuals with just 15 years of experience to take on MD positions. On August 5, the minimum experience requirement was raised to 20 years for commercial bank officials. The latest policy marks the first time that Bangladesh Bank has formally included its own senior officials in the pool of eligible candidates, while setting a higher bar for them to ensure leadership roles are filled by individuals with extensive expertise and institutional understanding.

Sector analysts say the move reflects the central bank’s increasing focus on improving governance, strengthening management quality, and ensuring greater accountability in the banking sector. By enabling qualified regulatory officials to transition into leadership roles within commercial banks, policymakers aim to enhance professional standards and deepen institutional oversight capacity.

All scheduled banks have been instructed to follow the new criteria when considering candidates for top executive positions. The directive has come into immediate effect.

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