dFin, the financial sector arm of Dnet, on Saturday hosted the "Risk Conference on Banking and Finance 2026" at the Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel. The conference brought together regulators, senior bankers, and sector experts to examine the critical risk environment facing financial institutions in Bangladesh amidst a shift toward more stringent oversight.
The conference opened with a welcome address by Mr. Mahmud Hasan, Executive Director of Dnet. Following the welcome, Dr. Toufic Ahmad Choudhury (Former DG, BIBM; and Member, Governing Body, Dnet) and Professor Mustafizur Rahman, PhD (Distinguished Fellow, CPD; and Member, Governing Body, Dnet) shared their insights on the necessity of robust risk frameworks in the current economic landscape.
The event was formally inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Former Finance Adviser to the Interim Government of Bangladesh and Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank. In his keynote address, Dr. Ahmed emphasized the importance of stability and transparency in the banking sector during this period of transition. The inaugural session concluded with remarks from Dr. Shah Md. Ahsan Habib, Professor Selection Grade, BIBM and Chairman of Dnet. The conference arrives at a pivotal time as Bangladesh Bank transitions from compliance-led oversight to Risk-Based Supervision (RBS) and implements tighter loan classification and provisioning rules.
Key Sessions and Highlights:
• Transitioning to Risk-Based Supervision: Discussions focused on moving beyond formal rules to a forward-looking model that emphasizes institutional risk profiles and supervisory judgment.
• Credit Risk and NPL Management: Experts addressed the structural roots of non-performing loans (NPLs), highlighting the need for improved credit appraisal and internal risk cultures to restore confidence in asset quality.
• Digital Financial Inclusion: With the rapid expansion of digital financial services (DFS), the conference identified emerging threats such as cyber fraud, system downtime, and weak data governance as core issues for financial stability.
• Global and Geopolitical Risks: A dedicated session explored how external volatility, including global conflict and trade flow disruptions, directly impacts domestic bank balance sheets.
The conference featured an expert panel chaired by Professor Mustafizur Rahman, PhD (Distinguished Fellow, CPD and Member, Governing Body, Dnet), and included high-level panelists such as Professor Mahmood Osman Imam, PhD (Dean, Faculty of Business Studies, University of Dhaka); Mr. Md. Ali Hossain Prodhania (Chairman, NRBC Bank PLC; Former MD, BKB; and Supernumerary Professor, BIBM); Mr. Mashrur Arefin (Chairman, ABB and Managing Director & CEO, City Bank PLC); Mr. Syed Mahbubur Rahman (Managing Director, Mutual Trust Bank PLC); Mr. Rizwan Dawood Shams (Managing Director, IPDC Finance PLC). The panel bridged the gap between policy intent and operational reality, offering grounded views on governance, liquidity, and capital management. "Risk can no longer be managed as a routine compliance issue; it must be addressed as a strategic, system-wide concern," noted the conference organizers. The event aligns with dFin's broader mission to strengthen institutional performance and practical skills within the banking and financial sector.
dFin is the financial sector capacity development arm of Dnet, a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the banking and finance sector through high-quality training, research, and advisory services.
