View source for Da Afghanistan Bank

{{Short description|Central bank of Afghanistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox central bank
| name = '''{{Transliteration|ps|Da Afghanistan Bank}}'''
| native_name = {{langx|prs|بانک مرکزی افغانستان}}<br/>{{langx|ps|د افغانستان بانک}}
| logo = Da Afghanistan Bank Logo.svg
| logo_size = 100px
| image = Da AF Bank HQ.png
| bank_of = [[Afghanistan]]
| ownership = 100% [[state ownership]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weidner |first1=Jan |title=The Organisation and Structure of Central Banks |url=https://d-nb.info/1138787981/34 |website=Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek |year=2017 |format=PDF |access-date=8 May 2020 |archive-date=28 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528003901/https://d-nb.info/1138787981/34 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| established = 17 November 1939
| headquarters = [[Kabul]], [[Afghanistan]]
| executive = [[Noor Ahmad Agha]]<ref name="newgovernor">{{cite web |title='Financier of Taliban Bomb-Making' Appointed as Central Bank Chief |url=https://www.afintl.com/en/202407074776 |website=Afghanistan International |access-date=11 September 2024 |date=7 July 2024}}</ref>
| executive_title = Governor
| reserves = $10 billion<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-195137 |title=Da Afghanistan Bank Reports Gross Reserves Reach $10 Billion |work=TOLOnews |date=24 July 2025 |access-date=2025-07-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/us-taliban-negotiating-afghan-government-reserves-billions-report-2022-7 |title=The US and Taliban are negotiating the release of part of the $9.5 billion in frozen Afghan government assets, report says |work=Business Insider |date=26 July 2022 |access-date=2023-08-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/18/us-freezes-afghan-central-banks-assets-of-9-5bn |title=US freezes Afghan central bank's assets of $9.5bn |work=Al Jazeera |date=18 August 2021 |access-date=2023-08-09 |archive-date=18 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818045840/https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/18/us-freezes-afghan-central-banks-assets-of-9-5bn |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-17/u-s-freezes-nearly-9-5-billion-afghanistan-central-bank-assets |title=U.S. Freezes Nearly $9.5 Billion Afghanistan Central Bank Assets |work=Bloomberg News |date=17 August 2021 |access-date=2023-08-09}}</ref>
| currency = [[Afghan afghani|Afghani]]
| currency_iso = AFN
| website = {{URL|https://www.dab.gov.af/}}
}}

'''{{Transliteration|ps|Da Afghanistan Bank}}'''  ('''DAB''', {{langx|prs|بانک مرکزی افغانستان}}; {{langx|ps|د افغانستان بانک}}) is the [[central bank]] of [[Afghanistan]]. It regulates all [[banking]] and monetary transactions in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2023/08/09/dab-officials-inflation-rate-falls-afghanis-value-increases/ |title=DAB officials: Inflation rate falls, afghani's value increases |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=9 August 2023 |access-date=2023-08-10 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601104928/https://pajhwok.com/2023/08/09/dab-officials-inflation-rate-falls-afghanis-value-increases/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Established in 1939, the bank is wholly [[State ownership|government-owned]]. It is active in developing policies to promote [[financial inclusion]] and a member of the [[Alliance for Financial Inclusion]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.afi-global.org/members/ |title=AFI members |date=18 June 2019 |publisher=AFI Global |access-date=2023-08-09 |archive-date=20 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220141606/http://www.afi-global.org/about-afi/members |url-status=live }}</ref>

Da Afghanistan Bank currently has around 52 branches throughout the country, with seven of these in [[Kabul]], where its headquarters is also based.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dab.gov.af/zones-and-branches |title=Zones and Branches |publisher=Da Afghanistan Bank |access-date=2023-08-09 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601104931/https://www.dab.gov.af/zones-and-branches |url-status=live }}</ref> Individual bank customers are allowed to withdraw up to 350,000 [[Afghan afghani|afghanis]] ($5,000 USD) a week or up to 1 million afghanis a month.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/withdrawal-restrictions-relaxed-for-bank-account-holders-in-afghanistan/ |title=Withdrawal restrictions relaxed for bank account holders in Afghanistan |work=Ariana News |date=June 15, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-15}}</ref> Taxes are paid directly to the central bank, and there is a policy against officials handling tax money.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zucchino |first1=David |title=He Was Once a Covert Taliban Operative. Now He’s the Friendly Taxman. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/09/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-economy.html |access-date=10 March 2025 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=9 March 2025}}</ref>

==Seal of the bank==
The seal of Da Afghanistan Bank has the name of the bank in [[Pashto]] at the top and [[Latin script]] at the bottom, the year 1939 in which it was established, and a depiction of a [[Eucratides I]]-era coin with the [[Greek language|Greek]] text, "{{lang|grc-x-hellen|ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ}}" which means "Of the great king Eucratides".

==Mission==
Basic tasks of DAB are: 
* Formulate, adopt and execute the [[monetary policy]] of Afghanistan.
* Hold and manage the official [[foreign-exchange reserves]] of Afghanistan.
* Print and issue [[Afghan afghani|afghani banknotes and coins]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-184568 |title=Central Bank Says Inflation Has Been Managed Over Past Year |work=TOLOnews |date=9 August 2023 |access-date=2023-08-10 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601104941/https://tolonews.com/business-184568 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Act as banker and adviser to, and as fiscal agent of the state.
* License, regulate and supervise banks, foreign exchange dealers, money service providers, payment system operators, securities service providers, securities transfer system operators.
* Establish, maintain and promote sound and efficient systems for payments, for transfers of securities issued by the state or DAB, and for the clearing and settlement of payment transactions and transactions in such securities.
* Accept foreign bank applications from banks that wish to operate in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Licensing Procedure |url=https://aisa.org.af/licensing_procedur/ForeignBankAgencyLicense.pdf |website=aisa.org.af |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819180203/http://aisa.org.af/licensing_procedur/ForeignBankAgencyLicense.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2013 }}</ref>

==Chief of the bank==
*[[Habibullah Malie Achekzai]], 1954–1960<ref name="governors">{{Cite web |url=https://dab.gov.af/dab-history |title=DAB History |website=Da Afghanistan Bank}}</ref>
*[[Abdul Hay Azizi]], 1960–1975<ref name="governors" />
*[[Mohammad Hakim Khan]], 1975–1980<ref name="governors" />
*[[Ghulam Hussain Jujeni]], 1980–1982<ref name="governors" />
*[[Mehrabuddin Paktiawal]], 1982–1985<ref name="centralbankingdirectory" /><ref name="governors" />
*[[Abdul Basir Ranjbar]], 1985–1988<ref name="governors" />
*[[Mohammad Kabir (banker)|Mohammad Kabir]], 1988–1990<ref name="centralbankingdirectory" /><ref name="governors" /><ref>{{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c049297898 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |author=Directorate of Intelligence |issue=January/February 1989 |year=1989 |page=1 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/uc1.c049297898 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601104933/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c049297898 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Khalil Sediq]], 1990–1991<ref>{{cite book |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c110545539 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |author=Directorate of Intelligence |year=2003 |issue=September/October 1991 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/uc1.c110545539 |access-date=3 May 2020 |archive-date=6 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200706073044/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c110545539 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="governors" /><ref>{{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435083449116 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |author=Directorate of Intelligence |issue=July/August 1991 |year=1991 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/osu.32435083449116 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=21 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221023716/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435083449116 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Abdul Wahab Asefi]], ?–1991–?<ref name="centralbankingdirectory">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b-OeAAAAIAAJ |title=Central Banking Directory |date=18 April 1993|publisher=Central Banking Publications |isbn=978-0-9517903-1-1 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
*[[Najibullah Sahu]], ?–1992–?<ref>{{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435083449264 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |author=Directorate of Intelligence |issue=1992 May–Oct |year=1992 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/osu.32435083449264 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=27 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127163055/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435083449264 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Zabihullah Eltezam]], ?–1993<ref>{{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435083447946 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |author=Directorate of Intelligence |issue=May-Aug 1994 |year=1994 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/osu.32435083447946 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105444/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435083447946 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Ghulam Mohammed Yailaqi]], 1993<ref name="auto">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cd9PDwAAQBAJ|title=The Tragedy of Kabul Bank|first=Abdul Qadeer|last=Fitrat|date=7 March 2018|publisher=Page Publishing Inc|isbn=978-1-64027-368-9|via=Google Books|access-date=2 October 2020|archive-date=1 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105443/https://books.google.com/books?id=Cd9PDwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Mohammad Hakim Khan]], 1993–1995<ref name=":0">{{cite book |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/msu.31293012852699 |title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1995 no.1-4. |year=1995 |via=HathiTrust |hdl=2027/msu.31293012852699 |access-date=11 May 2020 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105448/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=msu.31293012852699 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto"/>
*[[Ehsanullah Ehsan (banker)|Ehsanullah Ehsan]], during Taliban era, 1996–1997<ref>{{cite book |last1=Linschoten |first1=Alex Strick van |last2=Kuehn |first2=Felix |title=An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban-Al Qaeda Merger in Afghanistan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PpqKLn7eugEC |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |date=23 August 2012 |isbn=978-0-19-997723-9 |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105445/https://books.google.com/books?id=PpqKLn7eugEC |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Abdul Samad Sani]], during Taliban era, 1997–?<ref>{{cite news |last=Gannon |first=Kathy |date=12 November 2018 |title=Pakistan frees 2 Taliban members as US envoy visits region |url=https://apnews.com/article/a677dc0942a24ea09446133b511e3a7b |access-date=15 July 2022 |website=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Mohammad Ahmadi (mullah)|Mohammad Ahmadi]], during Taliban era, ?–2001<ref>{{CELEX|id=02011R0753-20240913|text=Consolidated text: Council Regulation (EU) No 753/2011 of 1 August 2011 concerning restrictive measures directed against certain individuals, groups, undertakings and entities in view of the situation in Afghanistan}}</ref>
*[[Anwar ul-Haq Ahady]], 2002–2004<ref name="bios">{{Cite web |url=http://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=3907&task=view&total=4276&start=2805&Itemid=2 |title=Nosher, Wahidullah |website=Who is who in Afghanistan? |access-date=6 May 2020 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105505/https://www.afghan-bios.info/index.php?option=com_afghanbios&id=3907&task=view&total=4276&start=2805&Itemid=2 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="governors" />
*[[Noorullah Delwari]], 2004–2007<ref name="bios"/><ref name="governors" />
*[[Abdul Qadir Fitrat]], 2007–2011<ref name="bios"/>
*[[Noorullah Delwari]], 2011– 14 January 2015<ref name="14jan15">[https://www.centralbanking.com/central-banking/news/2390263/afghanistan-governor-delawari-resigns]</ref><ref name="bios"/>
*[[Khan Afzal Hadawal]], acting, 14 January – 8 July 2015<ref name="14jan15" /><ref>[https://www.centralbanking.com/regions/afghanistan?page=1]</ref><ref name="bios"/>
*[[Khalil Sediq]], 8 July 2015 – 2019<ref name="bios"/>
*[[Wahidullah Nosher]], acting, 2019–2019<ref name="bios"/>
*[[Ajmal Ahmady]], acting, 2019 – August 2021<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 November 2018 |title=Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs |url=https://um.fi/documents/35732/0/Sidevent+3%3B+Bios+%281%29.pdf/94e35577-3a2c-2e00-74f9-b13b91507936?t=1606130514646 |website=2018 Geneva Conference Side Event: Economic priorities and aid effectiveness |access-date=30 May 2022 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105948/https://um.fi/documents/35732/0/Sidevent+3%3B+Bios+%281%29.pdf/94e35577-3a2c-2e00-74f9-b13b91507936?t=1606130514646 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Haji Mohammad Idris]], acting, August 2021 – October 2021
*[[Shakir Jalali]], acting, October 2021 – March 2023
*[[Gul Agha Ishakzai|Hidayatullah Badri]], acting, March 2023 – July 2024<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2023/03/22/mullah-badri-named-as-da-afghanistan-bank-chief/ |title=Mullah Badri named as Da Afghanistan Bank chief |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=22 March 2023 |access-date=2023-09-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/afghani-strengthens-by-4-4-against-us-dollar-central-bank/ |title=Afghani strengthens by 4.4% against US dollar: central bank |work=Ariana News |date=9 August 2023 |access-date=2023-09-02 |archive-date=9 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230809204957/https://www.ariananews.af/afghani-strengthens-by-4-4-against-us-dollar-central-bank/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2023/09/02/central-bank-chief-badri-wounded-in-traffic-accident/ |title=Central bank chief Badri wounded in traffic accident |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=2 September 2023 |access-date=2023-09-02 |archive-date=1 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601105952/https://pajhwok.com/2023/09/02/central-bank-chief-badri-wounded-in-traffic-accident/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Noor Ahmad Agha]], acting, July 2024 – present<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-190135 |title=Increase in Withdrawal Limits from Commercial Banks |work=TOLOnews |date=6 August 2024 |access-date=2024-10-21}}</ref><ref name="newgovernor" />

==Members of the Supreme Council==
In July 2021, the Supreme Council at DAB consisted of:<ref>{{cite web |title=Supreme Council |url=https://www.dab.gov.af/index.php/supreme-council2 |website=www.dab.gov.af |access-date=8 September 2021 |language=en |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517012634/http://dab.gov.af:80/index.php/supreme-council2 |archive-date=17 May 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dab.gov.af/dab-supreme-council-holds-second-meeting-during-fiscal-year-2021 |title=DAB Supreme Council Holds Second meeting during the fiscal year 2021 |website=www.dab.gov.af |access-date=8 September 2021 |language=en |date=4 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726011121/https://dab.gov.af/dab-supreme-council-holds-second-meeting-during-fiscal-year-2021 |archive-date=26 July 2021 }}</ref>
* Ajmal Ahmady
* Shah Mohammad Mehrabi<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-184324 |title=Ultimate Goal is to Use Afghan Trust Fund to Recapitalize DAB: Mehrabi |work=TOLOnews |date=23 July 2023 |access-date=2023-08-10}}</ref>
* Katrin Fakiri
* Abdul Wakil Muntazer
* Muhammad Naim Azimi

==Seizure of US-based assets==
DAB owned about US$7 billion in assets held at the [[Federal Reserve Bank of New York]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/business-184292 |title=Audit Fails to Win US Backing for Release of Afghan Central Bank Funds- US |work=TOLOnews |date=21 July 2023 |access-date=2023-08-10}}</ref> After the 2021 Taliban seizure of power, a group of about 150 relatives of [[Casualties of the September 11 attacks|victims]] of the [[September 11 attacks]] attempted to use a judgement from the [[United States District Court for the Southern District of New York|SDNY]] case ''Havlish v. Bin Laden'' to gain control of these assets, asserting that they were now legally the Taliban's and thus could be used to pay damages to 9/11 victims' families.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/02/us/politics/9-11-families-taliban-funds.html |title=More Sept. 11 Victims Who Sued the Taliban Want Frozen Afghan Funds |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2 December 2021 |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie}}</ref> After a period of deliberation, the [[Biden administration]] went along with the request, dividing the assets into two halves, one of which would be allocated to the plaintiffs as potential damages, and the other which would be used to set up a trust fund to "support the needs of the Afghan people" but which the Taliban government would remain barred from accessing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/us/politics/taliban-afghanistan-911-families-frozen-funds.html |title=Spurning Demand by the Taliban, Biden Moves to Split $7 Billion in Frozen Afghan Funds |newspaper=The New York Times |date=11 February 2022 |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407213803/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/11/us/politics/taliban-afghanistan-911-families-frozen-funds.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ReutersSeize">{{cite news |last1=Stempel |first1=Jonathan |title=Sept. 11 victims not entitled to seize Afghan central bank assets -U.S. judge |url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/us-judge-recommends-no-recovery-sept-11-victims-afghan-central-bank-assets-2022-08-26/ |access-date=28 August 2022 |work=Reuters |date=26 August 2022}}</ref> On 26 August 2022, a judge recommended to not award damages as the bank is "immune from jurisdiction" and that it would "acknowledge" the Taliban as the legitimate Afghan government.<ref name="ReutersSeize" /> On 21 February 2023, the request of the relatives was denied, with Judge George Daniels stating that he was "constitutionally restrained" from allowing access to the funds.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-22 |title=Judge blocks 9/11 victims' claim to Afghan assets |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64727394 |access-date=2025-01-12 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Banks}}
* [[Afghan afghani]]
* [[Afghan frozen assets]]
* [[Economy of Afghanistan]]
* [[Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan)]]
* [[New Kabul Bank]]
* [[List of central banks]]
* [[List of financial supervisory authorities by country]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.dab.gov.af/ Official website]
* {{Twitter|id=AFGCentralbank|name=Da Afghanistan Bank}}

{{Central banks by country}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Central banks|Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Banks of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Banks established in 1939]]
[[Category:Financial regulatory authorities|Afghanistan]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Regulation in Afghanistan]]