Dhaka, Oct. 21 -- The financial health of Bangladesh's banking sector has worsened sharply, with troubled banks facing a combined capital shortfall exceeding Tk 1.55 lakh crore in the June quarter.

This alarming figure marks a sharp increase from the Tk 110,260 crore deficit recorded in the March quarter.

According to the latest data from the Bangladesh Bank (BB), 24 out of 61 scheduled banks have failed to maintain the mandatory minimum capital, putting immense pressure on the overall financial stability of the country.

Economists and banking sector analysts point to the severe pressure from Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) as the primary reason for the expanding crisis.

As NPLs rise, banks are legally required to set aside a security res...