Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Wednesday has underscored the need for expanding the financial inclusion to take banking services to the unbanked people.
Financial inclusion can play a vital role in building a sustainable financial system by bringing all people under the main stream of the economy, the governor said.
BB has long been laying emphasis on the financial inclusion to involve the majority population in financial services to help achieve national goal of poverty alleviation and inclusive development of the country, said the governor while addressing a signing ceremony between Modhumoti Bank Limited and Access to Information (a2i), Prime Minister Office (PMO) in a city hotel.
Financial inclusion has emerged as a tool to achieve inclusive poverty reduction, said the governor.
The Bangladesh Bank earlier introduced agent banking for strengthening the ongoing financial inclusion programmes across the country through bringing unbanked people into banking channel, Atiur Rahman said.
“We have introduced the guidelines aiming at providing regulatory framework for the agent banking which will create an enabling environment for offering safe financial services to the new target group,” he also said.
People, who are living in remote and hill areas, will avail banking services including cash withdrawing and depositing through the agent banking. The banks may provide their services to unbanked people through introducing such banking without establishing their branches, the BB governor said.
Meanwhile, Modhumoti Bank Limited, a fourth generation bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Access to Information (a2i), PMO to facilitate Union Digital Center (UDC) based agent banking.
Under the deal, the Modhumoti Bank will provide banking services such as account opening, cash deposit, cash withdrawal, money transfer, utility bill and inward foreign remittance payment and account inquiry through their agents, said Md Mizanur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the bank.
Agent banking is an important tool for implementing and spreading countrywide financial inclusion which is an important priority for the government, said the managing director.
About half of the adult population in the country is unbanked, said the managing director.
“We want to be a pioneer in the field of agent banking and thereby ensure access of geographically dispersed and unbanked population to formal financial system,” said Mizanur Rahman.
Director General (Administration) of PMO Kabir Bin Anwar, MP Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Modhumoti Bank Humayun Kabir were, also present, among others.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Wednesday has underscored the need for expanding the financial inclusion to take banking services to the unbanked people.
Financial inclusion can play a vital role in building a sustainable financial system by bringing all people under the main stream of the economy, the governor said.
BB has long been laying emphasis on the financial inclusion to involve the majority population in financial services to help achieve national goal of poverty alleviation and inclusive development of the country, said the governor while addressing a signing ceremony between Modhumoti Bank Limited and Access to Information (a2i), Prime Minister Office (PMO) in a city hotel.
Financial inclusion has emerged as a tool to achieve inclusive poverty reduction, said the governor.
The Bangladesh Bank earlier introduced agent banking for strengthening the ongoing financial inclusion programmes across the country through bringing unbanked people into banking channel, Atiur Rahman said.
“We have introduced the guidelines aiming at providing regulatory framework for the agent banking which will create an enabling environment for offering safe financial services to the new target group,” he also said.
People, who are living in remote and hill areas, will avail banking services including cash withdrawing and depositing through the agent banking. The banks may provide their services to unbanked people through introducing such banking without establishing their branches, the BB governor said.
Meanwhile, Modhumoti Bank Limited, a fourth generation bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Access to Information (a2i), PMO to facilitate Union Digital Center (UDC) based agent banking.
Under the deal, the Modhumoti Bank will provide banking services such as account opening, cash deposit, cash withdrawal, money transfer, utility bill and inward foreign remittance payment and account inquiry through their agents, said Md Mizanur Rahman, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the bank.
Agent banking is an important tool for implementing and spreading countrywide financial inclusion which is an important priority for the government, said the managing director.
About half of the adult population in the country is unbanked, said the managing director.
“We want to be a pioneer in the field of agent banking and thereby ensure access of geographically dispersed and unbanked population to formal financial system,” said Mizanur Rahman.
Director General (Administration) of PMO Kabir Bin Anwar, MP Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Modhumoti Bank Humayun Kabir were, also present, among others.
