Bangladesh Bank has extended the maximum tenure for personal loans and loans for durable consumer goods from five years to eight years. The central bank issued a circular on Thursday to all scheduled banks, allowing them to set loan terms up to eight years under revised prudential regulations for consumer financing.

The circular also introduced relaxed conditions for auto loans to promote the domestic motor vehicle industry. Under the new rules, customers can now borrow up to 6 million taka for general auto loans, while loans for electric, hybrid, and locally manufactured vehicles can go up to 8 million taka. Additionally, banks may finance up to 80 percent of the vehicle’s value for these environmentally friendly and locally produced cars, compared to the previous 60 percent limit for regular auto loans.

Bangladesh Bank has also withdrawn the earlier restriction that limited consumer financing growth to be lower than overall loan growth, giving banks greater flexibility in expanding their retail lending portfolios.