** Bank of Queensland BOQ.AX rises as much as 5.9% to A$6.880, highest since April 2

** Lender reports H1 statutory net profit after tax of A$171 mln ($108.3 mln), a 13% y/y rise

** Co to pay interim dividend of 18 AU cents/share

** Expects "step up" in H2 headline margin

** BOQ down ~3% YTD

($1 = A$1.5793)

(Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee in Bengaluru)

((Rajasik.Mukherjee@thomsonreuters.com))