Abstract:

Credit risk covers all risks related to

a borrower not fulfilling his
obligations on time. It is the risk due
to a borrowers inability to meet its
financial obligations to the lender.
Credit risk is considered to be the
most significant one among all the
risks a bank is exposed to. This
Reports aims to give an overview of
the Credit Risk as per the guidelines
and circulars of Bangladesh Bank.

Credit Risk
Management
Bangladesh Bank
Circular and Guidelines

Table of Contents
Credit Risk Management....................................................................................................2
Credit risk:..........................................................................................................................3
Robust credit risk management policy as an answer to high credit risk/poor credit risk
management...................................................................................................................3
i) Risk appetite statement...........................................................................................3
ii) Limits on loan type, borrower type, rating grade, industry or economic sector......4
iii) Other necessary components of an adequate credit risk management policy......6
Managing Credit Risk in the Origination Process...............................................................7
Borrower evaluation........................................................................................................7
i) Internal credit risk rating system1............................................................................7
ii) The role of external credit assessment institutions (ECAIs)....................................8
iii) Analysis of specific borrower repayment capacity..................................................9
Risk-based loan pricing...................................................................................................9
i) Building blocks of loan pricing..................................................................................9
ii) Determination of selected components of risk-based loan pricing.......................10
Approval authority...........................................................................................................10
i) Basic approval authority principles............................................................................10
ii) Approval authority for large or complex exposures..................................................12
iii) Exceptions................................................................................................................12
Credit Risk Mitigation Strategies......................................................................................12
Collateral.......................................................................................................................13
i) Amount and type required......................................................................................13
ii) Initial and ongoing valuation.................................................................................13
Managing Credit Risk in the Administration Process........................................................14
Managing Credit Risk with Appropriate: Management Information Systems (MIS)..........15
Managing Credit Risk of Problem Assets.......................................................................15

Credit Risk Management

Credit risk, emerged as a significant risk management issue during the 1990s, covers all risks
related to a borrower not fulfilling his obligations on time. It is the risk due to a borrowers
inability to meet its financial obligations to the lender. Credit risk is most simply defined as the
potential that a bank borrower or counterparty will fail to meet its obligations in accordance with
agreed terms. Credit risk management is the practice of dropping those losses by considering the
adequacy of both a banks capital and loan loss reserves at a certain time a method that has
long been a test for financial institutions.
Credit risk is considered to be the most significant one among all the risks a bank is exposed to.
On the other hand, quality of credit/asset is the key determinant of the Banks financial health.
Therefore, proper and efficient management of credit risk is the prime concern of the
management to ensure that asset quality can be maintained at optimum level. Moreover,
regulators are also highly concerned about the credit risks banks are undertaking in its day to day
business. In its effort to establish credit discipline in the banking system, Bangladesh Bank made
the first regulatory move through introduction of the Lending Risk Analysis (LRA) in 1993.
Since then, Banks used to conduct LRA for all lending exposures in excess of Tk10 Million.
Meanwhile, banking sector has experienced enormous changes. Credit culture has been shifting
towards a more professional and standardized Credit Risk Management approach and LRA
framework has been criticized for its baseness to some qualitative criteria. As credit risk grading
system is a dynamic process and should be changed in line with business complexities, a more
effective credit risk grading process was the industry demand. Meanwhile, in 2003, Bangladesh
Bank made the Core Risk Management Guidelines (CRMG) mandatory for implementation
which includes a separate credit risk rating framework. However, it seemed to be very
quantitative and suggested to introduce grading both unclassified and classified accounts. But it
was not detailed enough for implementation and did not tell anything about the fate of LRA.
Bangladesh Bank felt it necessary to integrate the above two models and keeping the limitations
of LRA in mind, it has amended Lending Risk Analysis Manual and developed a new risk rating
framework named Credit Risk Grading Manual. The Credit Risk Grading Manual (CRGM) has
been made mandatory replacement of the LRA and applicable for all exposures (irrespective of
amount) other than those covered under Consumer and Small Enterprises Financing Prudential
Guidelines and also under the Short-Term Agricultural and Micro - Credit. However, Bangladesh
Bank has made it a minimum requirement for credit risk grading and given the option to the
commercial banks to adopt and adapt more sophisticated framework considering its size and
complexities of business. As such, considering the business complexities Prime Bank is currently
involved in, we have modified the Credit Risk Grading framework and developed our own
Credit Risk Grading Manual in line with the CRGM of Bangladesh Bank.

Credit risk:
Credit risk arises from the potential that a banks borrower will fail to meet its obligations in
accordance with agreed terms, resulting in a negative effect on the profitability and capital of the
bank.
Generally credits are the largest and most obvious source of credit risk. However, credit risk
could stem from both on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet activities such as guarantees. It may
arise from either an inability or an unwillingness to perform in the pre-committed contracted
manner. Credit risk comes from a banks dealing with households, small or medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), corporate clients, other banks and financial institutions, or a sovereign.
In more technical terms, credit risk can be viewed as the existence of multiple possible
outcomes when a bank makes a loan or other extension of credit. The possible outcomes range
from full and timely payments according to the contract, all the way to a complete absence of
any repayment (a total loss on the loan). Payments could be made in full but not in a timely
manner, or payments could be made in a timely manner but not in full. Every possible outcome,
and there are a great many possible outcomes, can be said to have a probability of occurrence,
and the probabilities, as in any distribution, sum to 100 percent.
In this and all the subsequent sections on credit risk management, loan is used as shorthand
for all possible types of exposure to a single client or group of related clients. It is to be
understood that many different types of transactions, including off-balance sheet transactions,
pose credit risk to the bank, and all such transactions are subject to these Guidelines as
appropriate.

Robust credit risk management policy as an answer to high credit

risk/poor credit risk management
Banks always have a credit policy, but what is really needed is a high-quality credit risk
management policy (CRMP). The CRMP in its expanded form contains all of the elements that
a credit policy would contain, and goes beyond these. It must be updated at least annually, with
Board approval for these annual updates.

i) Risk appetite statement

Risk appetite is the level and type of risk a bank is able and willing to assume in its exposures
and business activities, given its business objectives and obligations to stakeholders (depositors,
creditors, shareholders, borrowers, regulators). A robust CRMP starts with a well-crafted risk
appetite statement (RAS). In this regard, The Risk Appetite Statement shall be approved by
board and embodied in risk policy and delegated authorities. . Risk appetite is generally
expressed through both quantitative and qualitative means and should consider extreme
conditions, events, and outcomes. It should be stated in
terms of the potential impact on profitability, capital, and liquidity, and should be consistent with
the banks strategic and business plans. The credit RAS is an example of a banks overall RAS
being concretely expressed at the business line level. The RAS shall be approved by board and
embodied in risk policy and delegated authorities. For credit risk specifically, the RAS should

quantify the maximum expected loss the bank is willing to endure across all credit products,
including off-balance-sheet items such as letters of credit and guarantees. The maximum
expected losses need to be specified so that the business lines that take on credit risk know where
the bank wishes to be along the risk-return tradeoff. The bank should also specify the minimum
expected losses, since it is possible for a bank to take on too little credit risk and face the
consequence of weak earnings. The RAS should also address the maximum and minimum
allowable concentrations (expressed as a percentage of CET1) for all major types of credit
products, borrowers, and sectors. Contents of the Risk Appetite Statement shall be, but are not
limited to, the following statements:

Industry-wise sectoral concentration

Product-wise funded loan concentration (composition of term loan, mid-term loan,
demand loan, continuous loan etc)
Product-wise non-funded loan (OBS) concentration (composition of bank guarantee,
acceptance, etc.)
Area wise/geographical, currency wise and maturity wise credit concentration
Business segment-wise concentrations (corporate, MSMEs, Retail, Micro Credit, Card
etc)
Client concentration based on external/internal credit rating.
Classification boundaries in terms of portfolio percentage, beyond which further growth
may be halted.
Maximum level of high rated clients in terms of environmental and social due diligence.

ii) Limits on loan type, borrower type, rating grade, industry or

economic sector
As stated above, it is an essential component of credit risk management to establish limits on
concentrations across all possible dimensions of the credit portfolio. The first task in that effort is
to establish a sensible disaggregation of the portfolio, along the following lines:
A Agriculture, Fishing, and Forestry
B Industry
Nature of Industry loan
a) Term loans
b) Working capital loans
(i) Secured by eligible securities
(ii) Secured by other than eligible securities
*Scale-wise distribution of industry portfolio
1. Large Industries
2.Small, medium, cottage & micro industries
3.Service industries
C Trade & Commerce:
a) Retail Trading
b) Wholesale Trading
c)Export Financing
d)Import Financing

e) Lease Finance
f) Others
(i) Secured by eligible securities
(ii) Secured by other than eligible securities
D Construction (commercial real estate, construction and land development loans):
a) Residential Real estate
b) Commercial Real estate
c) Infrastructure development
d) Others
(i) Secured by eligible securities
(ii) Secured by other than eligible securities
E Transport:
a) Road Transport
b) Water Transport
c) Air Transport
F Consumer financing
a) Loans for the purchase of flats or other single-family dwellings
b) Loans for the purchase of motorized personal transport
c) Loans for the purchase of durable consumption goods
d) Credit card loans
e) Other personal loans
G Loans to financial institutions
1) Loans to NBFIs
2) Loans to insurance companies
3) Loans to merchant banks and brokerage houses
4) Other, including loans to microfinance institutions and NGOs
H Miscellaneous
The above categorization, at its most disaggregated, contains 37 separate categories. Banks
should establish concentration limits, expressed in terms of CET1, for all categories, at the
lowest levels of disaggregation, and then rolling up to the highest.
In addition, Category B in the above scheme, Industrial Loans, can be disaggregated in a
different way, focusing on the economic sectors rather than the type of enterprise and type of
loan. The following breakdown is preferred:

RMG
Textile
Food and allied industries
Pharmaceutical industries
Chemical, fertilizer, etc.
Cement and ceramic industries
Ship building industries
Ship breaking industries
Power and gas
Other manufacturing or extractive industries
1

Service industries
Others

The combination of the type of borrower/type of loan breakdown and the sectoral breakdown of
industrial loans would provide all the necessary data, plus allow the banks to monitor the all
important category of real estate lending and loans secured by real estate, the emphasis on which
by the banks in recent years is a source of concern for financial stability.

iii) Other necessary components of an adequate credit risk

management policy
Every bank has to develop a credit policy (CP) as a part of an overall credit risk management
framework and get it approved by the Board. The CP should clearly outline the bank's view of
business development priorities and the terms and conditions that should be applicable for credits
to be approved. The CP should be periodically updated, taking into account changing internal
and external circumstances. To make it effectual, CP should be communicated timely and
implemented by all levels of the bank through appropriate procedures. It should be distributed to
all lending authorities and credit officers. Significant deviations from the CP must be
communicated to the senior management or Board and corrective measures should be taken.
The CP should at least include:
1. Detailed and formalized credit evaluation/appraisal process;
2. Credit origination, administration and documentation procedures;
3. Formal credit approval process;
4. Approval procedure of credit extension beyond prescribed limits and other exceptions to the
CP;
5. Risk identification, measurement, monitoring and control;
6. Internal rating (risk grading) systems including definition of each risk grade and clear
demarcation for each risk grade in line with BB regulations and policies;
7. Risk acceptance criteria;
a. Credit approval authority at various levels including authority for approving exceptions
and responsibilities of staffs involved in credit operations;
8. Roles and responsibilities of staffs involved in origination and management of credit;
9. Acceptable and unacceptable types of credit. These types can be on the basis of credit
facilities, type of collateral security, types of borrowers, or geographic sectors on which the bank
may focus;
10. Clear and specific policies for each of the various types of credits, including maximum loanto-value (LTV) ratios where applicable;
11. Concentration limits on single party or group of connected parties, particular industries or
economic sectors, geographic regions and specific products. Banks are allowed to set their own
stringent internal exposure limits, as long as they are at least as strict as prudential limits or
restrictions set by BB;
12. Pricing of credits, including whether loans will be granted on a fixed-rate or a floating rate
basis, and if floating, the frequency of rate changes and the reference rates that will be used for
rate changes;
13. Policies for the frequency and thoroughness of collateral verification and valuation;
14. Review and approval authority of allowances for probable losses and write-offs;
1

15. Guidelines on regular monitoring and reporting systems, including borrower follow-up and
mechanisms to ensure that loan proceeds are used for the stated purpose;
16. Guidelines on management of problem loans;
17. Policies on loan rescheduling and restructuring;
18. The process to ensure appropriate reporting and
19. Tolerance level of exceptions.

Managing Credit Risk in the Origination Process

Borrower evaluation
The first step in the management of credit risks happens when the borrower walks through the
door and goes through the application process. The basic question that any bank has to ask is:
does the credit history (if any) and repayment capacity of the borrower provide sufficient
probability of repayment, so that that the bank will earn an adequate risk-adjusted rate of return
on the loan, without charging an excessive interest rate that may be unacceptable to the borrower
or requiring credit enhancements that may be impossible for the borrower to provide?

i) Internal credit risk rating system1

An internal credit risk rating system (ICRRS) should categorize all credits into various classes on
the basis of underlying credit quality. Banks should develop an internal credit risk rating system
in line with regulatory authoritys prescription for its credits in consistent with the nature, size
and complexity of the banks activities. All credit facilities should be assigned a risk grade. If any
deterioration in risk is observed, the risk grade assigned to a borrower and its facilities should be
immediately changed. The rating system must be endorsed by the board and should have at least
the following parameters:
covers a broad range of the banks credit exposure, including off-balance sheet exposures;
covers both performing and non-performing assets;
has several grades covering exposures, with the lowest rating accorded to those where
losses are expected;
has risk ratings for performing credits with several grades (including the grade
corresponding to special mention);
has regulatory classifications (standard, special mention, sub-standard, doubtful &
bad/loss) should be incorporated within the risk rating systems; and
has the credit risk rating system detailed in the credit policy and procedures developed for
the determination and periodic review of the credit grades.
Using the language of Basel II/III, borrowers can be graded by their estimated probability of
default (PD). The following sample table is an illustration of an actual banks ICRRS, which is,
in principle, an expanded version of the simplified Pass, Special Mention, Substandard,
Doubtful, and Loss classification system utilized by banks and BB to establish loan-loss
provisions. There should be several rating categories corresponding to Pass, and one or two
corresponding to each of the other categories. In the following sample table, the rating categories

1-5 roughly correspond to the Pass classification category, 6 and 7 to Special Mention, 8 and 9 to
substandard, 10 to Doubtful, and 11 to Loss. The rating grade is assigned to each individual
obligor for wholesale credit, and either by obligor or at a pool level for retail exposures. The
ICRRS should be used for several purposes. First, it should be used in the setting of interest rates
and other terms on the loan. Second, it should be used in determining approval authorities and
limits. Approval authorities should be escalated to higher levels of the bank for fresh loans to
lower-rated borrowers. Limits should also be established for fresh loans to borrowers across the
various rating categories.
Next, the ratings should be used in determining if provisions (based on expected loss) and capital
(based on unexpected loss) are adequate. As the above table illustrates, it should also be used to
manage the portfolio and report on exposures, so that the Board and senior management know
the overall exposure to borrowers across the rating categories are acceptable and within the risk
appetite. The ICRRS can also be used for migration analysis and stress testing: for example, in
determining what further loan loss provisions would be needed if all borrowers currently in
category 7 migrated to category 8.
In designing the ICRRS, the bank must include both quantitative risk drivers (such as financial
and income statement ratios, sources and uses of funds, cash flow coverage, past performance
history, etc.) and qualitative risk drivers (financial projections, resiliency of payment sources,
quality of management, macroeconomic and industry conditions, etc.). For every borrower, the
ICRRS must estimate the PD through-the-cycle, that is, over a long assessment horizon that
reflects the borrowers entire credit cycle and takes into account the possibility that the financial
condition of the borrower may change over time, given cycles in the overall economy or the
borrowers particular industry. Reliance on entirely statistical models (also known as credit
scoring) is appropriate only for retail borrowers (such as individuals and small/medium-sized
enterprises or SMEs) whose loans can be grouped into relatively homogeneous portfolios. For all
other borrowers, default behavior depends more on idiosyncratic factors to each borrower. Some
statistical modeling can be used, but must be supplemented by expert judgment. If, in turn,
expert judgment is used, it must be documented transparently and be free from the raters own
biases. The ratings must be reviewed at least annually, with more frequent reviews for new
borrowers, large borrowers, and borrowers with more complex credits and/or multiple facilities.
Responsibilities and authorities to make changes to the rating category for any borrower must be
clearly spelled out.

ii) The role of external credit assessment institutions (ECAIs)

The analysis of a potential borrowers creditworthiness by an ECAI may provide useful input
and assist the banks credit analysts in organizing thinking and forming an opinion about the
potential borrower in question. Banks may make reference to ECAI ratings (registered by
Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission as well as recognized by Bangladesh Bank) in
their credit risk management policies and loan underwriting practices, but they must rely on their

own assessments of the creditworthiness of their borrowers as the primary determinants of the
decision.

iii) Analysis of specific borrower repayment capacity

In order to make good credit decisions, lenders must know how to analyze financial statements
submitted by loan applicants. Lenders are expected to follow sound risk management practices in
the context of commercial credit analysis activities. A review of the company's current position
with respect to the existing authorized level of commercial lending activities, capital adequacy
position and compliance with commercial credit analysis regulations, guidelines and rulings is
essential in determining the creditworthiness of an applicant.

Risk-based loan pricing

i) Building blocks of loan pricing
Banks must price loans to cover all costs, including a certain number of basis points over the life
of the loan to account for each of the following:
Cost of funds- The rate at which the bank is able to attract funds of equivalent tenor to the
loan in question. In banks that apply funds transfer pricing, this rate is a wholesale rate, usually
the swap rate (fixed or floating, depending on whether the loan is fixed or floating) of an
equivalent tenor.
Expected loss- The number of basis points that corresponds to the expected loss on the loan,
which will be higher on loans with more credit risk and lower on loans with less credit risk.
Although banks do not make loans with the expectation of suffering any loss, this amount is not
zero for any loan, no matter how well collateralized or guaranteed.
Cost of allocated capital- The cost of allocated capital is the amount of capital the bank has
allocated to the loan as coverage for unexpected loss, multiplied by the target return on equity for
the bank as a whole, and expressed in terms of basis points. As a simplification, banks often use
the risk-based capital requirement as a proxy for the amount of capital that should be allocated to
the loan.
Term cost of liquidity- The number of basis points that captures the cost arising from the fact
that loans of longer and longer tenor require stable funding of longer and longer tenor, which will
be costly for the bank above and beyond any interest-rate risk considerations (which will be
captured in the swap rate).
Cost of liquid asset buffer- Banks rarely maturity-match a loan with a specific source of
funding of equivalent tenor. They rightly know that a mix of current accounts, savings accounts,
and fixed deposits will render a stable source of funds under most circumstances. However, in
extremely adverse and rare circumstances, a run on deposits may occur and the bank may be
forced to sell assets quickly at low prices or seek additional deposits or other funds at high rates.
For this reason, a liquid asset buffer must be held for these unexpected situations. Since these
assets either earn no interest at all, or very little interest for the bank, there is an opportunity cost
for holding the assets that must be expressed in terms of basis points and included in the
determination of the loan rate.

 Loan administration costs- For any loan, big or small, there are staff costs involved in
origination and monitoring. Some of these costs are up-front and some are ongoing, but they all
must be expressed in terms of basis points over the life of the loan.
Competitive margin- Finally, after all other costs have been included in the rate, the bank will
add on a certain number of basis points to earn a margin. This component is the only one that is
fully at the discretion of the bank, given its funding and expense structure. This margin may even
be negative, if the bank desires to gain a temporary competitive advantage. However, it should
not be negative on any kind of loan product for an extended period of time. Banks should be able
to show to BB at all times that they have priced their recently-originated loans to cover all of
these costs.

ii) Determination of selected components of risk-based loan pricing

Some of the various components like swap rate, wholesale rate, liquidity premium, senior debts
issued by banks may be difficult to estimate in practice. However, banks are expected to exert
every effort in estimating these necessary components and documenting their assumptions and
results.

Approval authority
i) Basic approval authority principles
The authority to sanction/approve loans must be clearly delegated to senior credit executives by
the Board, based on the executives knowledge and experience. Approval authority should be
delegated to individual executives and not to committees to ensure accountability in the approval
process.
Banks are expected to develop credit risk officers who have adequate and proper experience,
knowledge and background to exercise prudent judgment in assessing, approving and managing
credit risks. A banks credit-granting approval process should also establish accountability for
decisions taken and designate who has the absolute authority to approve credits or changes in
credit terms. Approval authorities should be commensurate with the expertise of the individuals
involved. A preferred approach is to develop a risk-based authority structure where lending
power is tied to the risk ratings of the obligor (that is, progressively higher levels of credit risk,
holding constant the loan amount, should be approved by progressively higher levels of
authority).
The following guidelines should apply in the approval/sanctioning of loans:
Credit approval authority must be delegated in writing from the MD/CEO and Board (as
appropriate), acknowledged by recipients, and records of all delegation retained in the CRM.
Delegated approval authorities must be reviewed annually by the Board.

 The credit approval function should be separate from the marketing/relationship management
(RM) function. Credit approval authority cannot be delegated to a person assigned with
marketing functions.
The role of the Credit Committee may be restricted to only the review of proposals and
making recommendations within the context of the banks overall loan portfolios. They may also
review the compliance with regulatory requirements.
Approvals must be evidenced in writing, or by electronic signature. Approval records must be
kept on file with the Credit Applications.
All credit risks must be approved by executives within the authority limits delegated to them.
The pooling or combining of authority limits should not be permitted.
The credit approval process should be centralized as a core CRM function. Considering the
volume of operations, Regional Credit Centers may be necessary. However, all large loans must
be recommended by the Credit Committee and Managing Director and approved by the Board.
The aggregate exposure to any borrower or borrowing group must be used to determine the
approval authority required.
Any credit proposal that does not comply with the Banks Lending Policy, regardless of
amount, should be referred to Board of Directors for approval
A definite process is to be adopted to review, approve and monitor cross border exposure
risks.
Any breaches of lending authority should be reported to MD/CEO and Head of Internal
Control. There should be consequences for such breaches, to deter future violations.
It is essential that executives assigned delegated with approving loans possess relevant
training and experience to carry out their responsibilities effectively. As a minimum, approving
executives should have:
- At least 5 years experience working in corporate/commercial banking as a relationship
manager or as a credit analyst or account executive.
- Training and experience in financial statement, cash flow and risk analysis with a
critical eye.
- A thorough working knowledge of the fundamentals of accounting, finance and risk
management.
- A good understanding of the local industry/market dynamics.
- Successful completion of an assessment test demonstrating adequate knowledge in areas
including introduction of accrual accounting, industry/business risk assessment,
borrowing causes, financial reporting and full disclosure, financial statement analysis,
asset conversion/trade cycle, cash flow analysis, projections, loan structure and
documentation, loan management, etc.
A separate register (hard copy/electronic copy) is to be maintained for proposals received,
approvals accorded, and proposals declined. A monthly summary of all new facilities
approved, renewed, or enhanced; and a list of proposals declined, stating reasons thereof,
should be reported by the CRM to the MD and related Senior Management.
1

Credit delegations are to be as specific as possible in terms of amount, tenor, deal,

business segment etc. The following areas may be considered as a guide for credit
delegation.
a. New/fresh limits (secured and unsecured)
b. Renewal of credit limits
c. Renewal, renewal of enhancement, renewal with reduction, restructuring and
rescheduling of limits
d. Compromise Settlement under Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) [Sec 24 of Money
Loan Court Act 2003]
e. Consumer/Retail and Personal Advance to each individual:
f. Emergency Short-Term Enhancements
g. Documentation deferrals
h. Change of terms and conditions
i. Collateral exceptions
j. Pricing, policy, exceptions
The banks internal audit department must review the functioning of the authority
delegations at least annually, to ensure that there are no breaches.

ii) Approval authority for large or complex exposures

The approval level for large loans and loans to be restructured must be escalated to the Board. It
is also best practice for any complex or unusually high-risk loan to be escalated to the Board for
approval.

iii) Exceptions
In certain, limited circumstances, exceptions may be granted to the approval authority policy on
a case-by-case basis. However, such exceptions should be rare, and the reason for the exception
should be stated in the loan file. A compilation of the exceptions should be provided to the Audit
Committee of the Board on a regular basis.

Credit Risk Mitigation Strategies

Banks may use different strategies such as collateral and guarantees etc. to mitigate credit risks.
Credit Risk Mitigation strategies can be of agreements made between the bank and the borrower,
or between the bank and a third party, which lower the credit risk to the bank. The existence of
credit risk mitigation is no substitute for proper loan underwriting and loan administration. They
are correctly viewed only as secondary sources of loan repayment, never primary sources.

Collateral
For proper credit risk management, banks must keep track of which loans are collateralized by
which types of collateral. Concentrations of collateral are nearly as dangerous as

concentrations by type of loan or industry. The following scheme for categorizing loans by
collateral type is recommended:
1) Shares and securities
2) Commodities/export documents
a) Export documents
b) Commodities
i) Export commodities
ii) Import commodities
iii) Other commodities pledged or hypothecated
3) Machinery/fixed assets (excluding land, building/flat)
4) Real estate
a) Residential Real estate
b) Commercial Real estate
5) Financial obligations
6) Guarantee of individuals (personal guarantee)
7) Guarantee of institutions (corporate guarantee)
a) Guarantee of bank or NBFI
b) Other corporate guarantee
8) Miscellaneous
a) Hypothecation of crops
b) Other
9) Unsecured loans

i) Amount and type required

It is imperative that the bank, when extending credit, demand the type and amount of collateral
as stated in its credit risk management policy. The loan-to-value ratio must be low enough to
absorb declines in the value of the collateral that may occur with a small, though not
insignificant probability.
The most valuable collateral is cash and easily en-cashable financial collateral stipulated in Risk
Based Capital Adequacy Guidelines (in line with Basel III). Other collateral in order of its
quality and marketability would be marketable securities, real estate and a personal guarantee.
The order of collateral mentioned is the same as the operating cycle of the company. The farther
away from cash, the more tenuous the value becomes. Real estate, taken as collateral, is less
liquid and marketable in the short run but is controllable and dependable in value.

ii) Initial and ongoing valuation

Collateral is only as good as the lenders ability to locate, identify, and legally claim the
collateral and eventually sell the collateral for enough to recover the principal, interest, plus all
liquidation costs. When collateral is taken as security, consideration must be given to the
dependability of the value, its marketability, the liquidity and the ability of the bank to control
the collateral when in the possession of the debtor and when the bank must liquidate. Cash flow
is the primary source of repayment and the collateral taken should be valued on a liquidation
basis. The bank is unlikely to be more successful with the collateral than the borrower has been.

Determining value of collateral at the time of the inception of the loan is essential. Continuous
updated valuations are needed, depending on the length of the loan, particularly if the loan
becomes a problem loan. The techniques of valuing include the cost, or replacement value,
market, income as a going concern or liquidation, and the liquidation value. It is essential the
bank uses outside appraisers or companies familiar with auctions and liquidation experience. If a
borrower gets into trouble, the good collateral will be the first to be used by the borrower to
satisfy other debtors or suppliers. The bank should consider the costs to liquidate, which includes
foreclosure, holding the collateral for sale, and the costs of selling. To reiterate, banks need to
reassess the value of collateral on a periodic basis. Appropriate inspection should be conducted
to verify the existence and valuation of the collateral. The frequency of such valuation is very
subjective and depends upon the nature of the collateral. For instance, credits granted against
shares need revaluation on almost a daily basis, whereas if there is mortgage of a residential
property the revaluation may not be needed as frequently

Managing Credit Risk in the Administration Process

Conducting customer calls and site visits to obtain key data is a critical and continuous process.
For this reason it is important for the lender to be out in the field as often as possible because:
Problems are often evident here first.
Problems are often disguised in financial statements.
The loan proceeds may have been diverted to some other purpose.
Depending on the size of loan and risk rating of the customer the lender should conduct a
customer call quarterly. To do this the lender should:
Develop a call schedule plan.
Plan other necessary data gathering.
Determine the frequency of site visits by utilizing the loan classification. The less favorable
the classification, the more frequent the visits should be.
In addition, banks need to watch carefully the financial standing of the borrowers. The key
financial performance indicators on profitability, equity, leverage and liquidity should be
analyzed. While making such analysis due consideration should be given to business/industry
risk, borrowers' position within the industry and external factors such as economic condition,
government policies and regulations. For companies whose financial position is dependent on
key management personnel and/or shareholders, for example, in small and medium enterprises,
institutions would need to pay particular attention to the assessment of the capability and
capacity of the management/ shareholder(s).
In case of an existing borrower, banks should monitor the borrowers account activity, repayment
history and instances of excesses over credit limits. For trade financing, banks should monitor

cases of repeat in extensions of due dates for trust receipts and bills. Banks should regularly
review the credit in terms of the borrowers ability to adhere to financial covenants stated in the
credit agreement, and any breach detected should be addressed promptly.
Loan review is usually an independent function or part of the overall independent auditing
function of the bank. Ideally, it reports to a committee of the board of directors of the bank. The
purpose of an independent loan review function is the pursuit of objectivity. It is of critical
importance, however, that loan review personnel be competent and have lending experience, in
order to maintain credibility and communication with the lending function. If the loan review
department has no credibility and/or poor communication with the lending function, it cannot
perform its function well.

Managing Credit Risk with Appropriate:

Management Information Systems (MIS)
A Management Information System (MIS) must provide quality data to the Board and senior
management on the segmented portfolio on a timely basis that will enable the analysis of the
current and future risk, and exposure by both the business areas responsible for its management.
The business must have and maintain an accurate database containing all application information
for both approved and declined applications, collateral and security information. Data retention
specifications must be incorporated in the Credit Instruction Manual. Data archiving procedures
and MIS must be adequate to facilitate the development of credit scores and models when
required.

Managing Credit Risk of Problem Assets

Interaction with borrower
Once a potential problem loan has been identified, the banker needs to follow following steps:
Develop a preliminary plan before meeting with the borrower.
Schedule a meeting with the borrower soon after learning about the problem loan.
o Discuss the problem, explore available alternatives to solve the problem, and establish
what actions are acceptable and not acceptable.
o The lender decides what additional information, such as monthly financial statements,
the borrower should supply, so that the bank can more closely track the situation.
o The borrowers also outline interim steps to resolve the problem.
It is not enough to send a letter pointing out how the borrower is in violation of various terms of
the loan documents. The response, if one comes at all, likely will be unsatisfactory; most
borrowers deny the problem or believe that if anything is wrong it will correct itself over time.
Instead, call the borrower, inform him of the banks concerns, and schedule a meeting. The
lender thus impresses on the borrower the banks desire to cooperate, without downplaying the
banks resolve to get to the bottom of the problem quickly. A meeting helps to further define the
best course of action whether to continue working with the borrower, ask for repayment, or
move to liquidate the collateral. For example, an evasive or extremely uncooperative borrower
quickly enables the lender to narrow the banks options.

What action a lender takes depends on a thorough analysis of the causes of the loan and the
likelihood of their resolution. However, regardless of whether the bank ultimately decides to
continue working with the borrower or to liquidate, a cooperative effort is important. Avoiding
unnecessary animosity is good customer relations and helps resolve the problem with a minimum
of stress for both the bank and borrower. If the borrower is made to feel that the situation is
hopeless, he or she may act precipitously. It is important, therefore, that the lender understands
the borrowers emotional state and knows how to deal with him so that the banks objective of
debt repayment is realized.

Appropriateness of rescheduling as a means to manage credit risk

In certain rare situations, the borrower may find itself in a period of temporary financial distress.
Loan rescheduling the stretching out over a longer time period of required payments of
principal and/or interest may be an appropriate way of handling the problem loan situation, but
only if the bank is fairly certain that the borrower can fulfill the rescheduled terms of the
contract. In no way must rescheduling be used if the bank has significant doubt concerning the
borrowers willingness or ability to repay over the long term.

Appropriateness of restructuring as a means to manage credit risk

If the borrowers financial distress is more permanent rather than temporary, restructuring may
be appropriate in order to maximize the present value of the future cash flows that can
reasonably be expected from the borrower.
As with rescheduling, banks should not restructure any loan unless the bank is fairly certain that
the borrower can fulfill the restructured terms. In all cases, restructuring must be conducted only
in accordance with BB directives from time to time, including the formation of necessary
provisions. (Additional provisions to capture all expected losses from the restructuring activity
may also be established, and, at the very least, the tracking of these embedded losses should be
part of MIS reports to the Board and senior management.)

Credit Recovery
Banks will put in place systems to ensure that management is kept advised on a regular basis on
all developments in the recovery process. The following issues shall be addressed while
conduction credit recovery functions:
Determine Account Action Plan/Recovery Strategy
Pursue all options to maximize recovery, including placing customers into
receivership or liquidation as appropriate.
Ensure adequate and timely loan loss provisions are made based on actual and
expected losses.
Regular review of non performing or worse accounts
The management of problem loans (NPLs) must be a dynamic process, and the associated
strategy together with the adequacy of provisions must be regularly reviewed. A process should
be established to share the lessons learned from the experience of credit losses in order to update
the lending guidelines.

Write-off, repossession, and disposition of collateral

When the bank considers an account to be no longer collectable, it will "write off' the account
(i.e. the amount is removed from the asset portion of a balance sheet and recorded as an expense
item on the income statement or adjusted against provision). Depending on the product, the point
at which this occurs may vary, but at a minimum, banks are to follow the loan write off policies
issued by BB from time to time.
When all security has been realized and all recovery possibility have been exhausted, a decision
may be made to write off, applying the provision in place for this purpose or debiting profit &
loss account. This shall be approved by the Board of Directors. It is not an appropriate policy for
a bank to "nurse" or warehouse repossessed properties until the market picks up, but to dispose
them into the market quickly and at the best price. Disposal methods should be reviewed
continuously to ensure the most effective method is being used. The asset disposal policy must
conform to the Transfer of Property Act, and all other applicable laws related thereto. A
Designated Division shall be responsible for repossessed asset disposal with assistance of Legal
Division and other concerned divisions of the bank.
While repossessed assets are awaiting disposal, the bank should make sure that proper
administration is undertaken on these assets to protect their value. Asset disposal should start
immediately when the asset becomes ready for sale. This is specifically defined as the time
when:
The client surrenders voluntarily the asset or has agreed for the bank to sell the property.
The bank is awarded possession of the property by legal or other means. As the case may be,
titles and ownership documents have been transferred to the bank's name and registered with the
appropriate Land Registry. Basic principles to guide the bank in its efforts for asset disposal
include:
Assets acquired have to be disposed of at the earliest time possible within a reasonable time
frame from acquisition / repossession.
Until disposition occurs, the bank should endeavor to keep costs relative to the upkeep and
maintenance of the assets to a minimum.
Converting / Liquidating the assets in the bank's possession at the earliest possible date is a
lower-risk strategy than holding the assets for a projected upturn in market prices in the future,
which often do not materialize, and in the meantime the Bank is saddled with a nonearning asset.

ANNEX
Specific Charge Documents and Papers to be obtained:
A. As per type of Borrower:

SL
1

Type of Borrower
Individual Borrower

Proprietorship Firm

Partnership Firm

Limited Company

Document
Letter of Guarantee of a Third Person
Personal Net-Worth Statement (PNS) of Guarantor
Personal Net-Worth Statement (PNS) of the Borrower
Letter of Guarantee of the Spouse of the Borrower
Trade License (up to date)
Personal Net-Worth Statement (PNS) of Proprietor
Trade License (up to date)
Partnership Deed (Registered)
Letter of Guarantee of the partners
Personal Net-Worth Statement (PNS) of Partners
Letter of Partnership.
Partnership Account Agreement.
Trade License (up to date)
Memorandum and Articles of Association (Certified by
RJSC)
List/Personal profile of the Directors
Certificate of Incorporation
Form XII Certified by RJSC (Particulars of Directors)
Board Resolution in respect of availing loans and execution
of document with Bank
Letter of Guarantee of the Directors
Personal Net-Worth Statement (PNS) of Directors
Deed of Mortgage and Hypothecation for creation of Charge
on fixed & floating assets (existing & future) with RJSC
Modification of charge with RJSC through form 19.
Certified copy of charge creation certificate from RJSC
Undertaking stating that the borrower shall not make any
amendment or alteration in Memorandum and Article of
Association without prior approval of Bank.
Approval of the Bank for any inclusion or exclusion of
Directors in and from the company
Certificate of Commencement (In case of Public Limited
Company)
1

Joint venture Agreement (In case of Joint Venture company)

BOI Permission (In case of Joint venture company)

As per Type of Security [collateral may be a better word here]:

SL
Type of Security
Document
Corporate Guarantee Corporate Guarantee of Guarantor Company on Non-Judicial Stamp
1
Resolution of the Board of the Guarantor Company (Memorandum
of the Guarantor company must permit to do so.) regarding
Guarantee.
Hypothecation of
2
Letter of Hypothecation
Stock/Receivables
IGPA to sell hypothecated Stock / Receivables
Letter of disclaimer form the owner of Rented Warehouse
Pledge of goods in
3
Letter of Pledge
Trade
IGPA to sell pledged goods
Letter of disclaimer form the owner of rented Warehouse
Assignment of Bill
4
Assignment of Bill by the beneficiary through IGPA
Letter of Acceptance of Assignment by the work giving authority
Original Work Order
Lien on Financial
5
The Instrument duly discharged on the back of it.
Instrument like
Letter of Lien (1st Party Lien - if the Borrower is the owner of
FDR etc.
the Instrument, 3rd Party Lien- if the Owner of the Instrument is
one other than Borrower)
Letter of Authority to encash the instrument as and when needed
by the Bank
Confirmation of Lien (Marking of Lien) from the issuing Bank.
Lien on Demated
6
NOC of the Company in case of Sponsors Share
Stock/Shares
Confiscate Request Form (Form19-1) duly signed by the pledgee.
Pledge Request form (By Law 11.9.3) duly signed by the holder
of the share.
Pledge setup Acknowledgement from Brokerage House
CDBL [spell out acronym] generated copy of Pledge Setup
Pari-Passu
7
Pari Passu Security Sharing Agreement among lenders.
Security
NOC from existing lenders if the property/assets are already under
pari passu sharing.
Certificate of RJSC on creation of charge on Fixed and floating
assets of the company.
Form XIX for modification of charge on Fixed and floating assets
with RJSC
Mortgage of
8
Original Title Deed of the property

Landed Property

Certified copy of Purchase Deed along with Deed Delivery

receipt duly endorsed (In absence of original Title Deed)
Registered Partition Deed among the Co-owners (if required)
Mortgage Deed duly Registered along with Registration Receipt
duly discharged
Registered IGPA favoring Bank to sell the property
Bia Deeds of the mortgaged property
Certified Mutation Khatian along with DCR [spell out acronym]
Record of Rights i.e. CS, SA, RS Parcha, Mohanagar Jorip parcha
(if within Mohannagar Area)
B.S. Khatian
Affidavit to be sworn by the owner of the property before 1 class
Magistrate that he has valid title in the property and not encumbered
otherwise
Up-to-date Rent Receipt
Up-to-date Municipal Tax Payment Receipt (if property within
Municipal Area)
Up-to-date Union Parishad Tax Payment Receipt (if property
within UP)
Approved Plan of Construction from concerned authority (if
there is any construction upon the land)
Original Lease Deed (In case of Lease hold property)
Allotment Letter favoring Lessee (in case of Leasehold
Property)
Mutation letter favoring Lessee (in case of Leasehold Property)
NOC of the competent Authority for Mortgage.
NEC [spell out acronym] along with search fee paid receipt
Board Resolution of the Mortgagor company duly supported by
the provision of Memorandum and Article of Association (when
one company mortgagse on behalf of the loan of other company)
Photograph of the Mortgaged Property
Location Map
Survey Report from professional Surveyors
Physical Visit Report by Bank Officials
Lawyers opinion in respect of acceptability of the property as
collateral security
Lawyers satisfaction certificate regarding appropriateness of
mortgage formalities
st

As per type of Loan / Credit facility:

SL
1

Type of Loan
CC (Hypo)

CC (Pledge)

Overdraft
(General)

SOD (Work
Order)

SOD (FO)

SOD (Scheme
Deposit)

Term Loan

Home Loan for

purchase of Flat
or Floor Space

Document
Letter of Hypothecation of stock in Trade
Supplementary Letter of Hypothecation
IGPA [spell out acronym] to sell Hypothecated goods
Letter of Continuity
Periodical Stock Report
Letter of Disclaimer form the owner of rented Warehouse
Insurance Policy cover note
Letter of Pledge
IGPA to sell Pledged goods
Letter of Continuity
Periodical Stock Report
Letter of Disclaimer form the owner of rented Warehouse
Insurance Policy cover note
Letter of Continuity
Insurance Policy cover note
Bid Document/ Tender Notice
Letter of Awarding
Assignment of Bills against work order
The Financial Instrument duly discharged on the Back
Lien on the Financial Instrument
Letter of Continuity
Lien on the Scheme Deposit
Letter of Continuity
Term Loan Agreement
Letter of Installment
Letter of Undertaking
Amortization Schedule
Insurance Policy cover note
Power of attorney for developing the property
Letter of Installment
Letter of Undertaking
Amortization Schedule
Letter of Allotment of Flat or Floor Space
Tripartite Agreement among Purchaser, Developer and Bank (If
under construction)
Undertaking of the borrower to the effect that he will mortgage the
flat/floor space favoring the Bank at the moment the same is
registered in his name by the seller.(If Under construction)

Consumers loan/
Personal Loan

10
11

SME/Small Loan
Lease Finance

12

Hire Purchase
Loan

13

House Building
Loan

14

House Building
Loan(To
Developer)

15

IDBP [spell out

acronym]

16

Guarantee Facility

17

Syndicated Loan

Agreement between Land Owner and Developer

Sharing Agreement between Land Owner and Developer
Copy of approved plan of construction from concerned authority.
PNS of the Borrower
PNS of the Guarantor
Letter of Guarantee of the Guarantor
Letter of Guarantee of the Spouse of the Borrower
Insurance Policy cover note
As per type of borrower and nature of security
Lease Agreement
Lease Execution Certificate
Quotation / Price Offer duly accepted by borrower
BRTA Registration Slip (In case of Motor Vehicle)
Insurance Policy cover note
Hire Purchase Agreement
Quotation / Price Offer duly accepted by borrower
BRTA Registration Slip (In case of Motor Vehicle)
Insurance Policy cover note
Letter of Installment
Letter of Undertaking
Amortization Schedule
Approved Plan form the competent authority
Power of Attorney for development of property
Agreement between Land owner and Developer
Sharing Agreement between Land owner and Developer
Copy of approved plan of construction from concerned authority
Letter of Installment
Letter of Undertaking
Amortization schedule
Copy of Title deed of the property on which construction will be made
Copy of Bia [spell out acronym] deed (previous deed in support of
Title deed)
Acceptance of L/C issuing Bank (duly verified)
Letter of Indemnity
Counter Guarantee
Bid Document or the document where requirement of Guarantee
stated
Pari passu Sharing Agreement
Facility Agreement
Escrow Account Agreement
1

18

LTR

Creation of Pari passu Sharing charge with RJSC

Participation Letter
Subordination Agreement
Deed of Floating charge on the Balance for Escrow Account
Accepted Mandate Letter
Information Memorandum
Participants Commitment Letter
Letter of Trust Receipt
Insurance Policy Cover note