The number of users availing themselves of mobile banking facilities in the country has hit 52.54 lakh, said a Bangladesh Bank official on Monday.
‘In April, the number of subscribers has exceeded 50 lakh taking the total
number to 52.54 lakh (as of June 10),’ he told UNB.Responding to a question, the official said the central bank had given permission to 26 banks so far for providing mobile banking services.
‘Of them, 17 banks have started offering the facilities.’
He said over Tk 121 crore had been transacted each day through using mobile banking facilities across the country.
The BB official also said the central bank was putting in its efforts to bring readymade garment industry workers under mobile banking facilities.
According to the central bank data, a total of 1,51,56,796 transactions were there in April through mobile banking which was 1,36,78,631 in March.
The transaction accounted for Tk 3334 crore in March while Tk 3637 crore in April.
The central bank has asked the banks that are yet to introduce mobile banking, to introduce it immediately otherwise, the central bank will scrap the permission.
The banks that have already introduced the services are Trust Bank, Eastern Bank, Brac Bank, Mercantile Bank, AB Bank, Dhaka Bank, Dutch Bangla Bank, Premier Bank, Southeast Bank, Prime Bank, Bank Asia, UCB, NCC Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Islami Bank, Commerce Bank and Standard Bank.
Sonali Bank, Jamuna Bank, ONE Bank, IFIC Bank, Al Arafah Islami Bank, Exim Bank, Janata Bank, Shahjalal Bank Limited and City Bank NA are yet to introduce the mobile banking service.
The central bank officials said Bangladesh can use mobile financial services not only to accelerate financial inclusion, but also to bring more than 85 per cent unbanked population to the mainstream at a cost effective manner.
As 99 per cent people of Bangladesh are already under the mobile phone network, almost all will have the access to the formal financial channel.
The central bank introduced mobile financial services in 2010 to bring the unbanked people under banking services.
-With New Age input
