Eastern Bank wins Euromoney’s ‘Best Bank in Bangladesh’ award

Eastern Bank PLC (EBL) has been recognised as the "Best Bank in Bangladesh" at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025.

The bank received the accolade for the sixth time, according to a press release.

Ali Reza Iftekhar, managing director of EBL, said, "This recognition from Euromoney reflects our relentless focus on excellence, customer-centric innovation, and value creation across all segments."

"We are deeply grateful to our customers, employees, and partners who inspire us to keep moving forward," he added.

In 2024, despite global economic challenges, EBL delivered exceptional results: net profit rose by 22.8 percent and total assets increased by 21.1 percent. The bank's return on equity reached 18.6 percent, while maintaining a nonperforming loan ratio of just 3.34 percent. EBL also retained the highest AAA credit rating in the country's banking sector for the third consecutive year.

The bank continued to strengthen its retail and SME portfolios. Noteworthy initiatives included the launch of the EBL High Earning Account and enhancements to its digital banking platforms, resulting in a 12 percent rise in retail loans, while preserving sound asset quality.

In the SME segment, EBL introduced EBL Shohoz, a secured lending product aimed at empowering small entrepreneurs.

The bank's payroll banking business also experienced strong growth, onboarding 361 new companies—a 37 percent increase year-on-year.

Furthering its commitment to gender-inclusive banking, EBL launched the country's first Women Payroll Suite in 2024, offering bespoke financial solutions tailored to female professionals.

Reinforcing its role as a financial innovator, EBL became the first bank in Bangladesh to receive regulatory approval to offer both life and non-life insurance products, expanding its portfolio of integrated financial services.