AB Bank
AB Bank is a Bangladeshi private-sector commercial bank formerly known as Arab Bangladesh Bank.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
AB Bank is a private-sector commercial bank in Bangladesh that began operations under the name Arab Bangladesh Bank. AB Bank Limited was incorporated on 31 December 1981 and is described as the first commercial private bank in Bangladesh as well as the country's first joint-venture private bank. Its early formation marked the emergence of a private banking model alongside Bangladesh's established public-sector banking institutions. The bank's core role is that of a full-service commercial bank. Its publicly described activities include deposit-taking, lending, trade finance, remittance, foreign exchange and payment-related services for retail customers, businesses and institutional clients. These activities place AB Bank within the broad regional-banking segment rather than a narrowly specialized financial-services category. The available reference material does not provide sufficiently verified detail for a complete breakdown of its current branch network, digital channels, assets, deposits, loan portfolio, geographic reach or individual product-market shares. The institution retained the Arab Bangladesh Bank name during its earlier history. On 14 November 2007, Bangladesh Bank approved the change of name to AB Bank, creating the shorter corporate identity used by the bank today. The rebranding did not alter the bank's basic position as a Bangladeshi commercial banking institution. AB Bank has also participated in financial-services expansion beyond traditional branch banking. In 2014 it completed the acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh Limited, a transaction that broadened its connection with the country's payment and financial-services infrastructure. The precise strategic rationale, transaction value and continuing organizational relationship are not established in the supplied source material. The bank's history has included regulatory and legal scrutiny. In February 2008, it was fined 100 million taka for securities-law violations involving excessive margin loans. The source states that many of those loans, originating from the merchant-banking wing, went to bank employees and their relatives. Separate criminal and regulatory matters involved alleged embezzlement and alleged laundering of funds. A former deputy managing director was charged with allegedly embezzling 3.25 billion taka. In another case, a former vice president and his wife received life sentences in 2016 for embezzling 67.4 million taka from the bank. Bangladesh Bank also reported an investigation into the alleged laundering of 1.65 billion taka to the United Arab Emirates, identifying Cheng Bao General Trading LLC and Pinnacle Global Fund Pte Limited in connection with the matter. These allegations and proceedings are material to the bank's public history, but the supplied material does not establish the final disposition of every case. AB Bank therefore combines an important institutional origin in Bangladesh's private banking sector with a later history involving corporate expansion, regulatory enforcement and high-profile allegations concerning governance and financial controls. Its present-day ownership, management roster, financial performance, website and detailed operating footprint require confirmation from current primary sources. AB Bank PLC. is a commercial bank headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1981, it was originally known as Arab Bangladesh Bank and later operated under the AB Bank brand. The bank serves retail, corporate and institutional customers through conventional banking activities that include deposits, lending, trade finance, remittances, foreign exchange and digital banking services. Publicly verifiable information available for this entry is limited; current ownership, operating scale, management and detailed business conditions should be checked against the bank's announcements, regulatory disclosures and exchange filings. The bank's history has included regulatory and legal scrutiny. In February 2008, it was fined 100 million taka for securities-law violations involving excessive margin loans; the cited account states that many loans from the merchant-banking wing went to bank employees and their relatives. A former deputy managing director was charged with allegedly embezzling 3.25 billion taka. In 2016, a former vice president and his wife were sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzling 67.4 million taka from the bank. Bangladesh Bank also investigated alleged laundering of 1.65 billion taka to the United Arab Emirates, naming Cheng Bao General Trading LLC and Pinnacle Global Fund Pte Limited in the investigation. The Anti-Corruption Commission also alleged that M. Morshed Khan, identified as the bank's founder, had improperly favored loans to Citycell, a company also owned by him. On 14 June 2022, High Court Division justices criticized the Anti-Corruption Commission and Bangladesh Police for failing to arrest 15 accused individuals in a 1.76 billion taka embezzlement case. The supplied material does not establish the final legal outcomes of all these allegations.
History
AB Bank was incorporated on 31 December 1981 as Arab Bangladesh Bank. The institution is described as Bangladesh's first commercial private bank and its first joint-venture private bank. Its creation represented an important early step in the development of private-sector banking in Bangladesh, where commercial banking had previously been strongly associated with state-owned institutions. During its subsequent operation, the bank developed a general commercial-banking profile. Its activities have included deposits, credit, trade finance, remittances, foreign exchange and other services for personal, corporate and institutional customers. The available reference does not provide a sufficiently detailed chronology of branch expansion, technology adoption, international partnerships or financial performance to document those areas reliably. On 14 November 2007, Bangladesh Bank approved the institution's name change from Arab Bangladesh Bank to AB Bank. The shorter name became the bank's principal public identity. The change was a corporate rebranding within Bangladesh's banking system rather than evidence of a change to a different Wikipedia subject. The bank's history also includes expansion into adjacent financial services. In 2014, AB Bank completed the acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh Limited. The supplied material identifies the completion of the acquisition but does not state its purchase price, post-acquisition structure or detailed operational results. Governance and compliance issues form a significant part of the documented history. In February 2008, AB Bank was fined 100 million taka for securities-law violations involving excessive margin loans. The cited account states that a substantial portion of those loans from the merchant-banking division went to bank employees and their relatives. A former deputy managing director was charged with allegedly embezzling 3.25 billion taka. In 2016, a former vice president and his wife were sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzling 67.4 million taka from the bank. Bangladesh Bank also investigated allegations that AB Bank had laundered 1.65 billion taka to the United Arab Emirates. The investigation named Cheng Bao General Trading LLC and Pinnacle Global Fund Pte Limited as being involved. In a related governance matter, the Anti-Corruption Commission alleged that M. Morshed Khan, identified as the bank's founder, had improperly favored loans to Citycell, a company also owned by him. The supplied material does not establish the final legal outcomes of all these allegations. On 14 June 2022, High Court Division justices criticized the Anti-Corruption Commission and Bangladesh Police for failing to arrest 15 accused individuals in a 1.76 billion taka embezzlement case. This episode illustrates that scrutiny of the bank's controls and connected-party lending remained part of its public record decades after its establishment. AB Bank remains identified as a Bangladeshi private-sector commercial bank. A current account of its ownership, executive leadership, financial condition, service network and strategic priorities would require additional current primary-source documentation. AB Bank PLC. was established in Bangladesh in 1981 under the name Arab Bangladesh Bank, making it one of the country's earlier private commercial banks. It subsequently expanded its conventional commercial banking activities and adopted AB Bank as its external brand. Its services cover areas such as retail banking, corporate banking, trade finance, remittances, foreign exchange and digital channels. The available material does not provide sufficient reliable evidence for a detailed account of the timing of the name change, historical ownership changes, branch expansion or recent strategic developments, so no further claims are made here.
- 2022
High Court comments on embezzlement investigation
[1]The High Court Division criticized law-enforcement and anti-corruption authorities over their failure to arrest 15 accused people in a 1.76 billion taka embezzlement case.
- 2014
Cashlink Bangladesh acquisition completed
[1]AB Bank completed the acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh Limited.
- 2007
Name changed to AB Bank
[1]Bangladesh Bank approved the change of name from Arab Bangladesh Bank to AB Bank on 14 November 2007.
- 1981
Arab Bangladesh Bank incorporated
[1]Arab Bangladesh Bank was incorporated on 31 December 1981 and became Bangladesh's first commercial private bank and first joint-venture private bank.
- 1981
Products and positioning
Bangladeshi private-sector commercial bank serving retail, corporate and institutional customers
Retail and corporate banking
Deposit accounts
Deposit-taking is a foundational commercial-banking activity for AB Bank. The line serves as a mechanism for individuals, companies and other customers to hold funds and conduct ordinary banking transactions. The supplied reference does not identify specific account names, rates, eligibility rules or channel features.
Lending
Loans and credit
AB Bank provides lending and credit services within its commercial-banking portfolio. These services are relevant to both retail and business customers, although the available source does not document a complete list of consumer, corporate or sector-specific loan products.
Corporate banking
Trade finance
Trade finance supports commercial transactions, including activities associated with importers, exporters and other businesses, and related international settlement. It is consistent with the bank's role in serving Bangladesh's domestic and cross-border commerce, but detailed instruments and limits are not specified in the supplied material. Banking services supporting import and export activity and related international settlement, including trade-finance facilities. The precise product range should be checked in the bank's latest materials.
Payments and foreign exchange
Remittance and foreign exchange
The bank's described services include remittances, fund transfers and foreign-exchange activity. These services support personal and commercial cross-border flows. No verified breakdown of corridors, correspondent relationships or transaction volumes is available in the supplied reference.
Capital-markets services
Merchant banking and margin lending
AB Bank's merchant-banking wing was involved in margin lending. This activity became the subject of a 2008 securities-law enforcement action concerning excessive margin loans, including loans reportedly made to employees and their relatives.
banking services
Retail Banking
Banking services for individual customers, including accounts, deposits, payments and related credit products. Exact product names, eligibility requirements and fees should be confirmed through the bank's current disclosures.
banking services
Corporate Banking
Commercial banking services for corporate and institutional customers, including credit facilities and cash-management-related services. Specific offerings should be verified through official materials.
Digital channels
Digital banking
AB Bank's described services include digital banking channels. The supplied material does not provide verified detail on specific platforms, features or adoption metrics.
Controversies
2022
High Court criticism over arrests in embezzlement case
On 14 June 2022, the High Court Division criticized the Anti-Corruption Commission and Bangladesh Police over their failure to arrest 15 accused individuals in a 1.76 billion taka embezzlement case.
2019
AB Bank files suit over alleged $20 million laundering
AB Bank filed a case against 15 people in a Dhaka court seeking to recover $20 million, alleging that the defendants conspired to defraud the bank and that bank officials failed to follow proper procedures and keep proper records.
2016
Embezzlement convictions involving former vice president
A former AB Bank vice president and his wife were sentenced to life imprisonment for embezzling 67.4 million taka from the bank.
2008
Securities-law enforcement over excessive margin loans
AB Bank was fined 100 million taka in February 2008 for securities-law violations involving excessive margin loans. The cited account states that many loans from the merchant-banking wing went to bank employees and their relatives.
Alleged embezzlement and laundering cases
A former deputy managing director was charged with allegedly embezzling 3.25 billion taka. Bangladesh Bank also investigated alleged laundering of 1.65 billion taka to the United Arab Emirates, naming Cheng Bao General Trading LLC and Pinnacle Global Fund Pte Limited in the investigation. The Anti-Corruption Commission also alleged that M. Morshed Khan, identified as the bank's founder, had improperly favored loans to Citycell, a company also owned by him.
Brand decisions
2014
Acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh LimitedM&ABackground
AB Bank pursued expansion into an adjacent financial-services business.
Action taken
The bank completed its acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh Limited.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened AB Bank's involvement in Bangladesh's financial-services infrastructure, although detailed post-transaction results are not provided.
2007
Adoption of the AB Bank nameStrategyBackground
The institution had operated under the Arab Bangladesh Bank name since its incorporation.
Action taken
Bangladesh Bank approved the name change to AB Bank on 14 November 2007.
Aftermath
AB Bank became the bank's principal public-facing identity.
Recent events
- 2014
AB Bank completed acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh[1]
M&A
AB Bank completed its acquisition of Cashlink Bangladesh Limited, expanding its involvement in Bangladesh's financial-services infrastructure.
- 2007
Bangladesh Bank approved the change from Arab Bangladesh Bank to AB Bank[1]
Other
Bangladesh Bank approved the institution's name change on 14 November 2007, formalizing the AB Bank identity.
Sources5 sources
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