Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The country’s leading bankers will sit Wednesday morning to discuss the recent situation against the backdrop of the Hallmark scam, bankers said. 
The members of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB), a representative organisation of the chief executive officers (CEOs) of different commercial banks, will also review the settlement of the overdue inland bill purchase (IBP).
The senior bankers may place the outcome of the discussion at the next regular meeting of the bankers, scheduled on Thursday with Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Atiur Rahman in the chair.
Most of the commercial banks are now maintaining a ‘cautious policy’ in purchasing inland bills, following the Hallmark Group scam, they added.
“Some of the banks are now worried due to embezzlement of a significant amount of money from different branches of the Sonali Bank Limited in the city,” a senior banker said.
The Hallmark Group and some other business entities have allegedly swindled funds worth minimum BDT 35.47 billion from the Sonali Bank. The embezzlement, also involving 57 branches of 27 commercial banks, used the accommodation bill against back-to-back letters of credit (LCs) by ignoring banking rules and regulations, the central bank officials said.
 
BBN/SSR/AD-12Sept12-7:30 am (BST)