The Banking Division yesterday sent the names of 29 persons to the central bank who were primarily selected for appointment as directors of state-owned commercial banks (SOCBs) to check whether any of them was loan defaulter.

Among them, five are government officials and the rest 24 are non-government personalities, including economists, business leaders, educationists, former civil servants and bankers.

The appointment will be made today with the banking regulator's clearance, said a high official of the finance ministry.

The list includes some people with political links, but the number of such nominees is lower than previous appointments, the official said.

About 40 posts of directors in different state banks and financial institutions, including 26 with Sonali, Janata and Agrani, remained vacant since the first week of September, as the government failed to make appointments in the banks' highest policymaking panels.

News: The Daily Star/Bangladesh/18th-Dec-12