As the calendar turned to 2026, millions of small-scale investors and pensioners across Bangladesh, waiting to buy National Savings Certificates or Sanchaypatra, woke up to a colder financial climate.
Effective from 1 January to 30 June, the government has cut the interest rates of the savings instruments by at least 0.98 percentage points, with long-term holders facing reductions as steep as 1.39 percentage points.
Previously issued instruments’ return will not change, said the Internal Resource Division of the Ministry of Finance.
However, reissued ones post-maturity in the next six months will be subject to the reduced rates.
Both small and large-scale investors who are going to buy the savings certificates will face a similar reduction, while the government offers a little less return to the investors who park over Tk7.5 lakh in the instruments.
Which Sanchaypatra offers how much return now?
For small-scale investors in the 5-Year Bangladesh Sanchaypatra, the interest rate in the first year is now 8.76 per cent, down from 9.74 per cent. Large-scale investors will see the rate decrease to 8.74 per cent from 9.72 per cent.
In the second year, small-scale investors will now receive 9.15 per cent, while large-scale investors’ rates decrease to 9.12 per cent.
The third-year rate for small-scale investors is now 9.55 per cent, and for large-scale investors, it is 9.53 per cent.
In the fourth year, small-scale investors face a rate of 9.98 per cent, while large-scale investors will see a rate of 9.96 per cent.
The fifth-year rate is the hardest hit, with small-scale investors seeing a rate of 10.44 per cent, and large-scale investors will receive 10.41 per cent.
3-Month profit bearing Sanchaypatra
The 3-Month Profit Bearing Sanchaypatra also sees significant reductions. Small-scale investors will receive 9.54 per cent in the first year, and large-scale investors will see a decrease to 9.50 per cent.
For the second year, small-scale investors will receive 10.00 per cent, and large-scale investors’ rates drop to 9.95 per cent.
The third-year rate for small-scale investors is now 10.48 per cent, and for large-scale investors, it is 10.43 per cent.
Pensioner savings Sanchaypatra
The Pensioner Savings Sanchaypatra rates are also affected, with small-scale investors now receiving 8.87 per cent in the first year, and large-scale investors will see a rate of 8.74 per cent.
In the second year, small-scale investors will receive 9.26 per cent, and large-scale investors will get 9.12 per cent.
For the third year, small-scale investors will now receive 9.68 per cent, and large-scale investors will see their rate fall to 9.53 per cent.
In the fourth year, small-scale investors’ rate is now 10.12 per cent, and large-scale investors will see 9.96 per cent.
The fifth-year interest rate is 10.59 per cent for small-scale investors and 10.41 per cent for large-scale investors.
Similar reductions are applied to Family Savings Sanchaypatra and Post Office Fixed Deposit schemes, with interest rates declining across all tenures by between 0.98 percentage points and 1.39 percentage points, depending on the holding period. Investors can earn at best 11.93 per cent interest from the instruments if held until maturity.
