Bangladesh, July 31 -- Most listed banks posted double-digit year-on-year profit growth in the first half (January-June) of 2026, buoyed by higher investment income from government securities and increased earnings from fees and commissions.

Advertisement Analysts said lenders with lower non-performing loans (NPLs), strong returns from Treasury bills and bonds, steady deposit growth and sound governance outperformed their peers during the period.

However, several banks remained in the red as deteriorating asset quality and a surge in bad loans following the 2024 political transition forced them to maintain hefty loan-loss provisions, eroding profitability.

As of Thursday, 28 of the country's 36 listed banks had released their unaudite...