The government will consider unmasking bank loan defaulters through the media, said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday in parliament.

Their names and addresses could be published periodically, he said responding to a supplementary question of independent lawmaker Rustam Ali Farazi.

"They [loan defaulters] gobbled up the money that could have been invested in various sectors,” the minister said.

Muhith said on several occasions he had given lists of loan defaulters to parliament. "For this, the members of the parliament helped me, they wanted to see the lists. I gave the lists several times," he said.

He said he had not considered publishing the names in newspapers. "But surely that can be done, I think this proposal might be considered for future," he said.