According to the Bangladesh Bank (BB), the capital shortfall of Sonali Bank stood at Tk3397crore, Janata Bank Tk1122crore, Agrani Bank Tk2249crore and Rupali Bank Tk730crore in June last year.

The BB recently revised the shortfall of four NCBs and asked them to strengthen management tactics so that it can come out of the trend of year-by-year capital shortfall.

The central bank identified lack of long-term capital management plan as the reason for the huge shortfall in both the Sonali and Rupali Bank.

As per the BB, considering all indicators, the rating of capital adequacy of Sonali and Rupali Bank stands at number five which means 'unsatisfactory'.

The capital management problem is similar in both the Janata and Agrani, according to the BB, which identified the two nationalised banks as 'marginal'. The capital adequacy rating of the two is number four.

The central bank sources said the NCBs are yet to respond positively to the BB advice for reducing the figure of year-end capital shortfall.

And that's why in a recent move the BB sought the finance ministry support in checking such a shortfall, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the NCBs said it is not possible to reduce the capital shortfall through the earnings of the banks, because the recovery rate of the default loans is not satisfactory by which the banks can lower the shortfall.

Some high officials of these banks explained that the nationalised banks have to provide loans to the government's priority sector, which pushed to huge default loans.

Sometimes they are compelled to provide loans in political consideration, they said, adding that any initiative to recover such loans is hampered due to political pressure.

These bank officials also sought government support for reaching a solution to the capital shortfall problem.

On the other hand, sources in the finance ministry said the handover of Rupali, among the four banks, to the private sector is imminent, so the new management of this bank would shoulder the responsibility of addressing the problem.

The sources also hinted at corporisation of the remaining three. If such a plan is implemented, the responsibility of mitigating the capital shortfall lies with the corporatised management, they added.