State-owned Sonali Bank has taken an initiative to help other local banks to run their banking business in the United Kingdom, particularly the remittance service to non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs).

Ten Bangladeshi banks were in trouble to run various businesses including remittance services after the British bank Barclays in July this year shut their accounts on ground that the banks do not match its new eligibility criteria.

“Like the Barclays, the UK branch of Sonali Bank will facilitate service to the exchange houses of different Bangladeshi banks there so they can provide their clients the services they used to deliver earlier,” Sonali Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Pradip Kumar Dutta told BSS on Thursday.

He said the exchange house of Pubali Bank already signed a consent letter with Sonali Bank for getting the services. Dutta expects that the exchange houses of other banks would also follow the suit soon because such partnership with Sonali Bank would help them provide their clients with smooth remittance services.

News: Daily Sun/08-Nov-2013