KEY CHALLENGES AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THE ISLAMIC BANKING SECTOR OF BANGLADESH

Authors

  • Mohibba Tabassum Tanny Department of Business Administration Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Rafikul Islam Aliah University New Town, Kolkata – 700 160 India
  • Wan Rohaida Wan Husain Department of Business Administration Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Keywords:

Islamic banks, Challenges, Critical success factors, Quality service, Bangladesh

Abstract

This research investigates the challenges faced by Islamic banks in Bangladesh in delivering quality service and identifies the critical success factors (CSFs) needed to overcome those obstacles. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 experienced bankers from Islamic banks across Bangladesh. Most participants have over 18 years of experience in the field, and their insights offer valuable perspectives on macro and microeconomic challenges. The qualitative analysis of the interviews highlighted five significant challenges and 29 related CSFs. Key challenges include inadequate governance, limited access to capital markets and financial investment, liquidity issues, a lack of Islamic banking products and services, and employees' need for more knowledge about Islamic banking. Understanding these challenges and their CSFs can facilitate Islamic banks in effectively allocating resources, improving their operational performance, and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. This, in turn, can pave the way for a brighter, more prosperous future for Islamic banking in Bangladesh. By implementing these strategic interventions, Islamic banks can strengthen their role in the wider economic landscape, promoting a more prosperous future for the industry.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Mohibba Tabassum Tanny, Department of Business Administration Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Lecturer, Department of Business Administration

Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences

International Islamic University Malaysia

Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Rafikul Islam, Aliah University New Town, Kolkata – 700 160 India

Professor

Aliah University

New Town, Kolkata – 700 160

India

Wan Rohaida Wan Husain , Department of Business Administration Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences International Islamic University Malaysia Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Assistant Professor, Department of Business Administration

Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences

International Islamic University Malaysia

Jalan Gombak, 53100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

References

Abduh, M., & Omar, M. A. (2012). Islamic-bank selection criteria in Malaysia: An AHP approach. Business Intelligence Journal, 5(2), 271–281. http://www.saycocorporativo.com/saycouk/bij/journal/Vol5No2/Article_17.pdf

Abdul Awwal, S.. (2022). Regulation of Islamic Banking in Bangladesh : Role of Bangladesh Bank. International Journal of Islamic Financial Services, 2(1), 45-56.

Abdul, M., & Sarker, A. (2022). Shari’ah Non-Compliance Risks in Islamic Banking: Concept, Significance and Management Methodology. Thoughts on Economics, 32(03), 1–29.

Akhter, A., Javed, M. Y., & Akhter, J. (2025). Research trends in the field of Islamic social finance: a bibliometric analysis from 1914 to 2022. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 41(2), 455-483. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-03-2023-0044

Ahmed. (2023, May 26). Challenging State of the Banking Sector in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2023, from Global Bangladesh: https://globalbangladesh.org/challenging-state-of-the-banking-sector-in-bangladesh/

Bangladesh Bank. (2022). Major Economic Indicators : Monthly Update. Monetary Policy Department, Bangladesh Bank, 01/2022(March), 7–29.

BB. (2020). Performance Evaluation of Islamic Banks in BangladeshDevelopments of Islamic Banking in Bangladesh (October-December 2020). December, 14. https://www.bb.org.bd/pub/quaterly/islamic_banking/jul_sep_2019.pdf

Bhuiyan, M. A. H., Darda, M. A., & Hossain, M. B. (2021). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in Islamic banks of Bangladesh. Social Responsibility Journal, 18(5), 968–983. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-07-2020-0280

Dona, P. Das, Sharif, A. M., & Hosna, A. U. (2023). Performance of Islamic Banking in Emerging Developing Country : A Study on Islamic Banking Practices of Bangladesh. Journal of Business and Social Science Review, 4(5), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.48150/jbssr.v4no5.2023.a1

Elgharbawy, A. (2020). Risk and risk management practices: A comparative study between Islamic and conventional banks in Qatar. Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, 11(8), 1555–1581. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-06-2018-0080

Garg R., R. Z. (2012). Identifying and ranking critical success factors of customer experience in banks. 7(2), 201–220. https://doi.org/10.1108/17465661211242813

Ghenimi, A., Chaibi, H., & Omri, M. A. B. (2021). Liquidity risk determinants: Islamic vs conventional banks. International Journal of Law and Management, 63(1), 65–95. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLMA-03-2018-0060

Ghouse, G., Ejaz, N., Bhatti, M. I., & Aslam, A. (2022). Performance of islamic vs conventional banks in OIC countries: Resilience and recovery during Covid-19. Borsa Istanbul Review, 22, S60–S78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bir.2022.11.020

Hasan, B., Sultana, M., & Hasan, M. N. (2020). Good Governance in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects. November.

IFSB. (2023). Islamic Financial Services Industry: Stability Report 2023. FRB Stability Report, May. https://www.bb.org.bd/pub/publictn.php

Islamic Finance Development. (2020). Islamic Finance Development Report 2020: Progressing Through Development. Islamic Finance Development Report, 1–54.

Julia, T., & Kassim, S. (2020). Exploring green banking performance of Islamic banks vs conventional banks in Bangladesh based on Maqasid Shariah framework. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 11(3), 729–744. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-10-2017-0105

Ledhem, M. A. (2022). The financial stability of Islamic banks and sukuk market development: Is the effect complementary or competitive? Borsa Istanbul Review, 22, S79–S91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bir.2022.09.009

Mawla, A. H. M. R. (2018). Performance Evaluation of Islamic Banks in Bangladesh - A Statistical Analysis. 10(36), 204–213.

Mehmood, K., Oganisjana, K., & Lace, N. (2023). Challenges Facing Islamic Banking: The Case of Asian Region. Proceedings of World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, WMSCI, 2023-Septe(Wmsci), 391–398. https://doi.org/10.54808/WMSCI2023.01.391

Mohammad J.S, S.parvin, M. S. H. (2018). Banking scenarios in bangladesh. Bangladesh Research Publications, 8(1), 89–95. http://www.bdresearchpublications.com/admin/journal/upload/1308104/1308104.pdf

Rahman, F., Sultana, N., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2013). Differences of Conventional & Islamic Banking Practices : An Empirical Analysis in Bangladesh. 3(1), 1–16.

Rahman, S. M. K., Chowdhury, M. A. F., Hossain, M. M., Islam, F., Mim, T. H., & Nirjon, N. A. (2024). Shariah Compliance of Bangladeshi Islamic Banks: Does It Differ Across Bank Modalities? Journal of Islamic Monetary Economics and Finance, 10(2), 329–356. https://doi.org/10.21098/jimf.v10i2.1887

Shankar, A., Tiwari, A. K., & Gupta, M. (2021). Sustainable mobile banking application: a text mining approach to explore critical success factors. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 35(2), 414–428. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-10-2020-0426

Suzuki, Y., & Sohrab Uddin, S. M. (2014). Islamic bank rent: A case study of Islamic banking in Bangladesh. International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, 7(2), 170–181. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-11-2013-0119

Takukder M. A, U. (2024). Islamic Banking and Finance Statistics (IBFS). Team. 2(1), 3–22. https://www.bb.org.bd/pub/monthly/ibfs/ibfs_jan2024pdf.pdf

Tlemsani, I. (2020). Comparative study of the Islamic interbank benchmark verses conversional rates. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 11(6), 1351–1365. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-03-2019-0053

W Jubilee, R. V., Kamarudin, F., Abdul Latiff, A. R., Iqbal Hussain, H., & Mohamad Anwar, N. A. (2021). Does globalisation have an impact on dual banking system productivity in selected Southeast Asian banking industry. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 14(4), 479–515. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-09-2020-0343

Downloads

Published

2025-10-08

How to Cite

Tabassum Tanny, M., Islam, R., & Wan Husain , W. R. . (2025). KEY CHALLENGES AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR THE ISLAMIC BANKING SECTOR OF BANGLADESH. Online Journal of Islamic Management and Finance (OJIMF), 5(2), 88–110. Retrieved from https://adab.um.edu.my/index.php/OJIMF/article/view/65158