Standard Chartered Bangladesh
The Bangladesh banking and financial-services operation of Standard Chartered, with a history in the country dating from 1948 and an acquired banking lineage reaching back to 1905.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Standard Chartered Bangladesh is the Bangladesh banking and financial-services operation of the international Standard Chartered group. Headquartered in Dhaka, it serves retail, affluent, commercial and corporate customers through branches, automated teller machines and card services. The business is described as a wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered and as one of the largest foreign banks operating in Bangladesh. The bank's direct presence in what is now Bangladesh began in 1948, after the partition of the Indian subcontinent, when Standard Chartered started operations in the port city of Chittagong. Its local historical footprint is older than that direct Standard Chartered operation because the group acquired ANZ Grindlays Bank in August 2000. Through that transaction, the Bangladesh business inherited a banking history extending to 1905. The acquisition was presented as a transformation that made Standard Chartered the largest foreign bank in Bangladesh. In 2005, Standard Chartered also acquired American Express's banking operations in Bangladesh, further expanding its local franchise. The Bangladesh operation provides conventional banking and financial services, including deposit and account services, lending, payments, trade-related banking and credit cards. It has also promoted Saadiq Banking, the group's Islamic-banking proposition. The bank offers Visa and Mastercard products and, according to the cited reference material, eased the process for obtaining international credit cards in January 2014. Its institutional and trade-finance role includes extending credit lines to Bangladesh and opening the country's first external letter of credit in 1972, according to the bank's historical profile. The bank's physical network has been concentrated rather than nationwide in scale. The cited profile lists branches in Bogra, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Savar and Sylhet, as well as approximately 24 branches and 96 ATMs at the time of that profile. It has maintained a particularly visible ATM presence in Dhaka and Chittagong, while competing with locally owned banks that operate broader booth and branch networks. This combination of international-bank capabilities, trade-finance expertise, foreign-currency and cross-border services, and a long operating history has defined its position in Bangladesh. Standard Chartered Bangladesh is notable for continuity: its published historical description states that it is the only bank in Bangladesh not to have closed its doors during more than 110 years of banking operations, counting the inherited Grindlays lineage. The business remains an active participant in Bangladesh's banking market, although current branch counts, ownership terminology, product details and executive information require confirmation from a current official source.
History
Standard Chartered's direct banking presence in Bangladesh began in 1948, when the bank established operations in Chittagong after the partition of the Indian subcontinent. Chittagong's role as a major port made it an important location for an international bank serving trade and commercial activity. Over time, the Bangladesh operation expanded beyond its original port-city base into other important commercial and population centres. The local history also incorporates the legacy of Grindlays Bank. In August 2000, Standard Chartered acquired Grindlays Bank from ANZ. The transaction transferred Grindlays' Bangladesh business to Standard Chartered and gave the combined operation a local banking history reaching back to 1905. Standard Chartered described the deal as a step that made it the largest foreign bank in Bangladesh. The acquisition was important not only because of its additional branches and customers, but also because it strengthened the bank's position in corporate banking, trade finance and international financial services. In 2005, Standard Chartered acquired American Express's banking operations in Bangladesh. This was another significant expansion of the bank's local platform and reinforced its ability to serve retail and card customers alongside corporate and institutional clients. The business subsequently operated as a wholly owned Bangladesh subsidiary of Standard Chartered, with its headquarters in Dhaka. The bank's historical profile identifies it with several developments in Bangladesh's international banking infrastructure. It states that Standard Chartered was the first international bank to extend credit lines to Bangladesh and that it opened the country's first external letter of credit in 1972. These activities reflect the bank's longstanding role in cross-border commerce, import and export transactions and corporate financial services. By the period covered by the cited reference, Standard Chartered Bangladesh operated branches in Bogra, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Savar and Sylhet. The same profile lists 24 branches and 96 ATMs, with ATM coverage particularly concentrated in Dhaka and Chittagong. Its network was more limited than the booth networks of some major domestic competitors, but the bank retained a distinctive position as one of Bangladesh's largest foreign banks. The business has offered retail banking, cards, lending, payments, corporate banking and trade-related services. It has also promoted Saadiq Banking, an Islamic-banking proposition, and offered Visa and Mastercard products. In January 2014, it reportedly eased the process for obtaining international credit cards, a move intended to strengthen its competitiveness in the card market. Standard Chartered Bangladesh's identity therefore rests on two overlapping histories: a direct Standard Chartered presence from 1948 and an inherited banking lineage from 1905 through Grindlays. Its principal strategic characteristics have been international connectivity, trade and corporate banking expertise, a significant but concentrated physical network, and participation in retail and Islamic banking. Current operational scale, leadership and product details should be checked against up-to-date official disclosures.
- 2014
International credit-card process simplified
[1]The bank eased the procedure for obtaining international credit cards while competing with Visa and Mastercard offerings.
- 2005
Acquisition of American Express banking operations
[1]Standard Chartered bought American Express's banking operations in Bangladesh and expanded its local platform.
- 2000
Acquisition of Grindlays Bank from ANZ
[1]Standard Chartered acquired Grindlays Bank from ANZ, incorporating a Bangladesh operation with a local history dating to 1905.
- 1972
Credit-line and external-letter-of-credit milestones
[1]The bank's historical profile credits it with being the first international bank to extend credit lines to Bangladesh and to open the country's first external letter of credit.
- 1948
Standard Chartered starts operating in Chittagong
[1]Standard Chartered began its direct business presence in what is now Bangladesh in the port city of Chittagong.
- 1905
Inherited local banking lineage begins
[1]The Bangladesh banking history later inherited through Grindlays is traced to 1905.
Products and positioning
An international bank in Bangladesh positioned around a long local operating history, cross-border banking capabilities, corporate and trade-finance expertise, and a broad portfolio spanning retail, card and Islamic-banking services.
Consumer banking
Retail banking
Standard Chartered Bangladesh provides consumer-oriented banking services through branches, ATMs and card channels. The available reference material does not specify the complete current account, deposit or loan catalogue, but identifies the Bangladesh operation as a provider of general banking and financial services for local customers.
Cards and payments · 2014
International credit cards
The bank offers international credit-card services and has issued products associated with Visa and Mastercard networks. In January 2014, it reportedly simplified the application procedure for international credit cards, using the offering to compete in Bangladesh's expanding card market.
Islamic banking
Saadiq Banking
Saadiq Banking is Standard Chartered's Islamic-banking proposition promoted in Bangladesh. The cited material identifies the service as part of the bank's local offering, although it does not provide a current list of products, eligibility requirements or distribution channels.
Commercial and institutional banking · 1972
Corporate and trade finance
The Bangladesh operation supports corporate and international banking activity, including credit lines, trade-related services and letters of credit. Its historical role in opening an external letter of credit in Bangladesh and its long association with cross-border commerce are central to this offering.
Brand decisions
2014
Simplify international credit-card accessStrategyBackground
The bank faced competition in Bangladesh's card market and sought to make international credit-card services more accessible.
Action taken
It eased the procedure for obtaining international credit cards and promoted Visa and Mastercard products.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the bank's competitive card proposition, but the available material does not report subsequent customer or market-share results.
2005
Acquire American Express banking operations in BangladeshM&ABackground
Standard Chartered continued to build its Bangladesh banking and card platform through targeted acquisition.
Action taken
It purchased American Express's banking operations in Bangladesh.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded the bank's existing local franchise, although the available source does not quantify the resulting change in customers, branches or assets.
2000
Acquire Grindlays Bank from ANZM&ABackground
Standard Chartered sought to expand its foreign-bank franchise in Bangladesh and acquire the established local banking platform operated by Grindlays.
Action taken
It acquired Grindlays Bank from ANZ in August 2000, bringing the Grindlays Bangladesh business and its historical operating presence into Standard Chartered.
Aftermath
The transaction substantially increased Standard Chartered's local scale and gave the bank an inherited Bangladesh banking history dating to 1905.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Standard Chartered Bangladesh named Best Bank in Bangladesh[2]
Standard Chartered Bangladesh was recognised as Best Bank in Bangladesh at the Asset Triple A Sustainable Capital Markets Country Awards 2021.
- Unconfirmed
Standard Chartered Bangladesh wins three Mastercard Excellence Awards[3]
Standard Chartered Bangladesh won three awards at the Mastercard Excellence Award 2021 event in Dhaka, in domestic credit business, international credit business and contactless categories.
Sources4 sources
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