The state-owned and the specialised banks are reluctant to promote online banking under the Bangladesh Bank’s green banking programme as they are not taking adequate
initiatives in this regard, said the central bank officials.
The officials said there was also a shortage of skilled manpower in the banks required to promote online banking.
According to the latest BB data, only 177 out of 3,482 branches of four SCBs have so far introduced the online banking as of December 31, 2012.
The SCBs brought only 5.08 per cent of their branches under online banking.
The government specialised banks have so far promoted online banking in only 77 out of their 1,457 branches as of December 31, 2012. The number of automated branches was 5.28 per cent of the total branches of the specialised banks.
The BB earlier asked the scheduled banks to promote online banking in the quickest possible time under the central bank’s green banking programme in a bid to save paper for reducing pressure on trees, a central bank official told New Age on Tuesday.
Besides, the BB asked the banks to introduce e-statements for customers replacing the paper statements, he said.
The BB data showed that foreign commercial banks had already brought 100 per cent of their branches under online banking. The FCBs operate 75 branches in the country.
The country’s private commercial banks introduced the online banking in significant number of their branches. They introduced the service in 3,116 out of their 3,378 branches as of December 31, 2012. They brought 92.24 per cent of their branches under online banking.
A BB official told New Age on Tuesday that the SCBs and the specialised banks also lagged behind PCBs and FCBs in expanding the internet and SMS banking.
Only 0.01 per cent accounts of the SCBs have access to SMS banking facilities and no access to internet banking services.
On the other hand, such modern services against accounts are totally absent at the specialised banks, the BB data show.
But 2.62 per cent accounts of PCBs have access to internet banking and 7.73 per cent to SMS banking while 35.71 per cent accounts of FCBs have access to internet banking and 39.64 per cent to SMS banking, the BB data showed.
The BB data showed no SCB could secure their place in the top three positions in terms of automated teller machines booths across the country.
Banks are now operating a total of 4,738 ATM booths in the country. Of the ATM booths, DBBL has taken the lead with 2,366 ATM booths. BRAC Bank and AB Bank operate 317 and 222 ATM booths respectively.
The top 11 banks having accounts with online banking facility are Standard Chartered, Bank Asia, Eastern Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Citibank NA, BRAC Bank, Dhaka Bank, AB Bank, The City Bank, HSBC and Trust Bank.
The BB official said that online banking had already gathered pace worldwide.
‘But, our SCBs and specialised banks are lagging behind in this regard.’
The BB at its recent meeting with the SCBs and the specialised banks asked them to take necessary measures to promote online banking, he said.
He said the central bank would award points for green banking while computing CAMELS rating.
The BB will consider green banking activities or practices of a bank while giving permission for opening new branches, he added.
-With New Age input
