The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has announced a relaxation of restrictions on bank withdrawals, a move aimed at easing financial pressures on citizens and businesses.
Noor Ahmad Agha, the head of the Taliban-run Da Afghanistan Bank and a figure on the United Nations sanctions list, confirmed on Wednesday that individuals can now withdraw up to $2,000 per week from their accounts denominated in U.S. dollars and up to 150,000 Afghanis from accounts in the local currency.
In a statement, the Central Bank also indicated that withdrawal limits for companies have been adjusted. Previously capped at 5 percent, companies can now withdraw up to 10 percent of their account balances, with an upper limit of $200,000 per transaction.
Afghanistan’s banking system has been in turmoil since the Taliban took power nearly three years ago. The international community has expressed concerns over the appointment of UN-sanctioned individuals to key banking positions, including Agha, who recently replaced Hidayatullah Badr as head of the Central Bank.
Amid these changes, Afghan citizens have continued to report significant difficulties in accessing their funds, highlighting the persistent challenges in the country’s financial sector.
