Two bankrupt banks in Tajikistan, Agroinvestbonk and Tojiksodirotbonk (TSB), have paid out a total of more than 400 million somonis (TJS) to their customers over the past three years – from June 2021 to June 2024, the head of the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) Firdavs Tolibzoda told reporters in Dushanbe on August 7.
According to him, Agroinvestbonk has paid out TJS195 million to its customers, while TSB has paid out TJS212 million to its customers of the reporting period.
Tolibzoda did not specify how much more these two banks owe their customers.
Additionally, the total amount returned to depositors since the payout process began in 2016 remains unclear.
In February of last year, the Chairman of the Supreme Economic Court of Tajikistan, Rustam Mirzozoda, stated that TSB had obligations amounting to TJS1.243 billion as of December 31, 2024. The bank's assets were reported to be TJS3.888 billion.
Agroinvestbonk, on the other hand, had assets worth more than TJS1.6 billion and obligations totaling TJS1.4 billion as of December 31, 2022.
NBT head Tolibzoda said TSB has paid out 70% of savings to its customers, while Agroinvestbonk has paid out 40% of savings to its customers.
He also mentioned Tajprombank, which still owes its clients TJS30 million, with 80% of the savings having been paid out by early 2024.
Recall, TSB, Agroinvestbonk, Tajprombank and Fononbank have been experiencing financial problems since the beginning of 2016, and therefore failed to fully meet their obligations to customers.
In 2017, the government provided financial assistance to these banks. TSB received a total of TJS2.250 billion and Agroinvestbonk received TJS1.070 billion.
The bailout process ended up with the government owning 85.9 percent of shares in TSB and an 87.3 percent stake in Agroinvestbonk.
Tajik central bank, however, revoked their operating licenses on May 21, 2021. The national financial regulator said in a statement on May 21 that TSB and Agroinvestbonk have been wound down because restructuring and recapitalization efforts did nothing to improve their financial situation.
