A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed yesterday among Local Government Division(LGD), and UNDP supported Access to Information (A2I) Programme of the Prime Minister’s Office and Trust Bank Limited for introducing mobile banking to reach banking services to the rural people.

National Project Director of the A2I Programme Md Nazrul Islam Khan, Managing Director of Trust Bank Limited Shah Alam Sarwar and deputy secretary of LGD Shamima Nargis signed the MoU on the behalf of their respective organizations at the Prime Minister’s Officer.

Officials of the A2I Programme and other concerned organizations were present at the signing ceremony.

Nazrul Islam said the union information service centers (UISCs) have been set up in 4501 Union Parishads across the country to bring rural people under the information technology network for developing their lives and livelihood.

In line with the government’s plan to build digital Bangladesh as charted out in the vision 2021, he said the government is adding different services to the UISCs to bring significant changes in the living standard of the rural people.

Only nine per cent people have access to the banking services in the country, he said adding the government wants to bring rural people under the banking services through mobile banking.

Shah Alam described the signing of MoU as an epoch making step for providing banking facilities to the rural people.

Most of the rural people have no access to Banking services, he said adding it is possible to bring rural people under banking services by introducing branchless banking system through mobile banking. Shah Alam said, “We want to introduce mobile banking across the country with the help of union information service centers.”

According to the MoU, Trust Bank Limited will introduce mobile banking from 20 union information service centers as pilot programme to provide banking facilities to the grassroots level in the country. The remaining UISCs will be brought under the programme in phases.

All banking facilities including opening of bank account, withdrawal and depositing of money and receiving remittances will be available in the mobile banking.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ Apr-05-2011

Reshadur Rahman was re-elected the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dhaka Bank Ltd recently. He is one of the sponsor shareholders of the bank and chairman of the executive committee of the board of trustee of Dhaka Bank Foundation, said a press release.

He has been engaged in commerce and industries sector for the last three decades. He is also the Honorary Consul General of Poland in Bangladesh.

Apart from these, he is actively associated with different social and service oriented organisations, the statement said.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ Apr-05-2011

Bangladesh Bank organised a day-long SME loan fair in Bogra and handed over loan sanction letters to the local entrepreneurs.

Governor of the central bank Dr. Atiur Rahman inaugurated the fair on Friday at Central High School Ground in the district, according to a press release.At the fair, BRAC Bank handed over spot loans to three Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) entrepreneurs in ago-based light engineering product fair in Bogra.The enterprises are Harun Engineering Workshop, Bosak Engineering Workshop and Rimjhim Fashion.Deputy managing director of BRAC Bank Mohammad Mamdudur Rashid, senior officials of different banks and local entrepreneurs were present at the function.The bank gives priority to lending in SMEs and it disbursed Tk 145 billion loans to 320,000 SME entrepreneurs in the country through its 421 SME units and 8,000 employees to bring SME sector under banking coverage.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ Apr-04-2011

Mutual Trust Bank inaugurated a modern ATM booth at the city’s Gulshan area recently.

Samson H Chowdhury, Chairman of MTBL inaugurated the ATM booth in a simple ceremony held in the city’s Gulshan area.

The inaugural ceremony was present, among others, are Managing Director and CEO of the bank Anis A Khan, Deputy managing directors Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Md Hashem Chowdhury, Md Ahsan-uz-Zaman, architect of Aparajeyo Bangla Sayed Abdullah Khaled, chief information officer Shaha Alam Patwary, head of business retail banking Gazi Yar Mohammad.

The bank also said that it also opened another ATM booth at 63, Pragati Swarani near MTB Baridhara Branch.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ Apr-04-2011

Agrabad branch of NCC Bank Ltd has been relocated at its own premises at Rafique Tower, 92 Agrabad C/A, Chittagong.

Yakub Ali Montu, chairman of the bank formally inaugurated the new premises as chief guest, said a press release.

Managing director and CEO of the bank Mohammed Nurul Amin presided over the function recently. Chairman of the Executive Committee SM Abu Mohsin, directors Alhaj Md. Nurun Newaz Salim, Ainul Kabir, Khairul Alam Chaklader, Md. Humayun Kabir, Alternate Director Saleh Md. Abu Fayez and sponsor Anwar Pasha were present as special guests.

Additional managing director of the bank Golam Hafiz Ahmed, deputy managing directors Swapan Kumar Das and TM Faruque Chowdhury, local businessmen and elites attended the function.

Chairman Yakub Ali Montu in his speech as chief guest stated about social responsibility of the bank and said that we are not only profit earning organisation but also working for social welfare, which will continue in future.

Mohammed Nurul Amin emphasised on extending best possible services to the business community of the area and requested the businessmen to avail of the services rendered by the bank.

News: Daily Sun/Bangladesh/ Apr-04-2011