DBI-2 Circular No. 02: Compliance of Continuity Plan (BCP) & Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) by Banks and FIs

Website: www.bangladesh‐bank.org www.bangladeshbank.org.bd Department of Banking Inspection‐2 Bangladesh Bank Head Office Dhaka‐1000    November 02, 2009 DBI‐2/Div‐1/Circular No‐ 02   Date:   ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐                    Kartik 18, 1416 Chief Executive/ Managing Director All Scheduled Banks in Bangladesh/   Financial Institutions/ Karmashangosthan Bank/   Grameen Bank/ Ansar VDP Unnayan Bank/   Investment Corporation of Bangladesh     Dear Sir, Putting in place Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)   in banks and financial institutions In order to ensure Information and Communication Technology (ICT) related security of the scheduled banks and financial institutions, directives for putting in place Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)  were inter alia issued through Guidelines on ICT security vide BRPD Circular No‐  14 on 23 October, 2005. Compliance with the BCP‐  and DRP‐related instructions of Chapter 6 of the Guidelines in banks and financial institutions has as yet remarked unsatisfactory.   Newspaper and electronic media reports on dreadful natural disasters like earthquakes are quite frequent, and the BCP‐  and DRP‐related issues in banks and financial institutions are being accorded high priority worldwide in the Basel II Accord. High‐level principles for business continuity have been published in August, 2006 by the Joint Forum under the Basel Committee on Bank Supervision. In that publication, seven high‐level principles for business continuity were outlined in order to ensure ICT security in banks and financial institutions with BCP and DRP identified as uniquely risky areas. In view of the abovementioned circumstances, you are hereby directed to ensure compliance with BCP‐ and DRP‐related directives of Chapter‐6 in the Guideline on Information and Communication Technology for Scheduled Banks and Financial Institutions on an urgent basis. Please acknowledge receipt.   Yours sincerely, Sd/‐  (Nirmal Chandra Bhakta) General Manager Phone‐7124243