'Sanchaypatra' Profit Rates Likely to Drop in January

The government is preparing to reduce profit rates on national savings certificates (Sanchaypatra) effective January 1, 2026. 

This would mark the second rate cut within a six-month period, following pressure from the banking sector to align rates.

According to ministry officials, the Finance Division has already drafted a proposal outlining the new rates and submitted it to Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed for final approval. 

Once cleared, the Internal Resources Division (IRD) will issue the official circular for implementation.

The Finance Adviser noted that he has not yet formally received the document, he acknowledged that bankers have been strongly advocating for a reduction. 

"There is a demand from bankers to reduce the profit rates of savings certificates to support credit growth in the private sector," he explained, noting that the final decision will be based on the broader national interest.

This adjustment follows a policy established on June 30, under which the government committed to reviewing and adjusting profit rates every six months as part of its ongoing income and debt management strategy.

According to sources within the Finance Division, the new proposal suggests an average reduction by 0.5 percent across various savings schemes. The tiered interest structure will remain. 

It means-

Small investments: For investments up to BDT 7.5 lakh, profit rates will remain relatively higher.
Large investments: For investments exceeding BDT 7.5 lakh, the profit rates will be significantly lower.

Currently, the maximum profit rate stands at 11.98 percent, while the minimum is 9.72 percent.

The family savings certificate, the most popular scheme among citizens, currently offers 11.93 percent for investments below Tk 7.5 lakh. This is expected to see a slight dip. Other schemes affected include:

Pensioner savings certificate: currently 11.98 percent (below BDT 7.5 lakh).
Bangladesh savings certificate (5-year): currently 11.83 percent (below BDT 7.5 lakh).
Three-Monthly Profit-Based Certificate: currently 11.82 percent (below BDT 7.5 lakh).

No changes are expected for the Wage Earner Development Bond, US Dollar Premium Bond, US Dollar Investment Bond, or Post Office Savings Bank ordinary accounts.

Abdul Hai Sarker, Chairman of the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), has welcomed the government's move to reduce profit rates on savings certificates. 

He noted that high interest rates on these government instruments frequently divert deposits away from private banks. 

By lowering these rates, he believes funds will shift back into the banking system, thereby increasing the liquidity available for private sector lending.

Recent government data highlights a significant trend in state borrowing. During the first four months of the 2025–26 fiscal year (July–October), the government raised BDT 2,369 crore through the sale of savings certificates. 

As of late October, the total outstanding government debt in this sector reached BDT 3.41 lakh crore.

With Inputs from UNB