Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC organised the "Business Development Conference-2025" at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka today.

Obayed Ullah Al Masud, chairman of the bank, inaugurated the two-day conference as the chief guest, said a press release.

In his speech, Masud said that Islami Bank is conducting banking operations across the country through a wide network of 6,500 units. It has 25 million customers, and this vast network proves the popularity of the bank.

He mentioned that the bank is working to improve the living standards of marginal communities through its Rural Development Scheme in 34,000 villages of the country.

"We want to spread this service to all 68,000 villages of the country," he said, adding that "Since the change in the national scenario on August 5, the bank has collected about 9 lakh new customers and a fresh deposit of Tk 13,000 crore. Last year, the bank achieved a milestone by opening its 400th branch."

While presiding over the event, Mohammed Monirul Moula, managing director of the bank, said that the contribution of Islami Bank to the country's economic development is innumerable. "In 2024, Islami Bank maintained its top position in all business indices, overcoming a number of challenges."

"It has collected the highest number of deposits in the country's banking sector. About 9 percent of the country's import-export trade is conducted through this bank."

"Remittance-sending expatriates have deposited a record amount of remittances in this bank, which is a quarter of the country's total remittances. Employment for about 1 crore people has been created through this bank," he added.

Mohammad Khurshid Wahab, chairman of the executive committee of the bank; M Masud Rahman, chairman of the risk management committee; Md Abdus Salam, chairman of the audit committee; Md Abdul Jalil, independent director; and Mohammad Abdus Samad, member secretary of the Shariah supervisory committee, were present as special guests.

Among others, Md Omar Faruk Khan, Md Altaf Hossain, and Mohammad Jamal Uddin Mazumder, additional managing directors of the bank; Mahmudur Rahman, Md Rafiqul Islam, Muhammad Sayeed Ullah, KM Munirul Alam Al-Mamoon, M Kamaluddin (Jasim), and Md Maksudur Rahman, deputy managing directors, were also present.