Agrani’s customers can finally enjoy remote banking services after tie-up with bKash
Amid all adversities, comes a piece of good news for more than one crore accountholders of Agrani Bank who are yet to savour the delight of digital transactions since the state-owned bank has no online banking services for its customers.
The bank yesterday partnered with bKash, a leading mobile financial service provider, over a two-way instant fund transfer facility, paving the way for the bank's massive clientele spreading across the country to send money to their bKash accounts and vice versa.
With this public-private initiative, the services of the bank are going to reach the masses, said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal while inaugurating the service through an online event.
"Our country's reputation in mobile financial services (MFS) is recognised globally, and this new service will add another feather in the cap."
The government is working relentlessly to make the vision of Digital Bangladesh a reality, improve the living standards of people and patronise the banking and MFS sectors, he said.
Through the partnership, Agrani becomes the first state-owned commercial bank to launch the two-way money transfer service. Currently, only two private banks -- City and Brac -- have such deals with bKash.
Besides, customers of another 16 banks can transfer funds to their bKash accounts through their respective internet banking apps.
On the occasion of the launch of the new service, customers will get a Tk 100 cashback in bKash accounts for transferring more than Tk 500 from their bank accounts.
Through the service, customers can pay their electricity bills, make payments, top-up mobile phones, buy tickets, send money or pay instalments of their loan or deposit schemes.
"Customers no longer need to come to the bank. Rather, the bank will go to the customers. After the initiation of this service with bKash, it is the reality now," said Mohammad Shams-Ul Islam, managing director and chief executive officer of Agrani Bank.
The bank also introduced Agrani Remit app for expatriate Bangladeshis in Singapore in March to help them send money home during the pandemic, he told The Daily Star.
Agrani has 958 branches and agent banking points across the country and collected Tk 3,500 crore remittance in July alone.
"We will soon introduce online banking service and launch an app for our customers," Islam added.
Using bKash's customer-friendly digital transaction technology, banks can deliver their services to the clients more innovatively, said Kamal Quadir, its chief executive officer.
The partnership between bKash and Agrani Bank will deepen financial inclusion, he added.
Md Ashadul Islam, senior secretary of the Financial Institutions Division, praised the initiative and said the service will make banking affordable to all types of customers.
The partnership will further spread digital services among the marginal people of Bangladesh, said Zaid Bakht, chairman of Agrani Bank.
Ahmed Jamal, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank; Mahmuda Begum, a director of Agrani Bank; Md Sabbir Hossain, deputy managing director; and Mizanur Rashid, the chief commercial officer of bKash, also spoke.
Launched in 2011, bKash has added about 40 lakh customers during the pandemic, bringing its total client base to 4.4 crores.
The company disbursed salaries and wages of workers at more than 1,000 garment factories during this period as well.
It recently rolled out a new service that allows people to transfer funds to non-accountholders.
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