Agent banking services have brought a boost to the rural economy. Along with ensuring security in people's financial transactions, the savings trend has increased. As a result of transactions in banking channels, financial strife, and inequality are decreasing in society. Marginalized people are receiving money sent by their loved ones from abroad without any hassle. And the farmers and laborers can save their hard-earned money and spend it on time. Unnecessary expenses are also decreasing in the family. Many are opening DPS accounts for the future of their children. Although the amount small, the loan available in a comparatively easy way. A review of the data of the latest published report of Bangladesh Bank shows that the rural people are more involved in this agent bank service than the urban people. At the end of last September quarter, the total account of agent banking was Tk2 crore 6 lakh 84 thousand 537. And 86.14 percent of this calculation was from village people. The remaining 13.86 percent of the participation was found by the residents of the city. In other words, agent banking, increasing every year due to activities in rural purpose.
According to the data, the participation of women in these calculations has also increased gradually. During this period the number of women's accounts stood. 1 crore 2 lakh 87 thousand 881, which is 49.73 percent of the total. Apart from this, the total amount of deposits as agent banking is Tk 35 thousand 200 crore. Which was Tk30 thousand 663 crore at the same time last year. That is, the amount of deposits has increased by 14.80 percent within a year. Rural people are keeping these deposits of agent banking. That is, 79.03 percent is their deposit. In the last three months, rural deposits have increased by 7.93 percent and urban deposits have increased by 3.97 percent.
Out of this, the majority of deposits are women. However, despite the spread of agent banking, loan disbursement through it has not increased. At the end of the September quarter, the amount of disbursed loans was only Tk 14 thousand 192 crore. At the end of the last quarter, it was Tk13 thousand 42 crore. In other words, loan disbursement increased by 8.82 percent in three months. The agent banking program was launched in 2014 to provide banking facilities to the marginalized people of the country. The customer does not have to pay extra charges for this. They are also getting the opportunity to use the bank's debit card. In this, the number of customers in agent banking is constantly increasing, along with the volume of transactions.
In this context, the concerned officials of Bangladesh Bank said that if managed properly, it will be possible to deliver banking services to every home in the remote areas of the country through agent banking activities. Apart from this, if the majority of the deposits collected through agent banking can be invested in the rural economy, it will play a special role in keeping the wheel of the rural economy stronger and active. They also said that they will try to do that in the coming days. According to the information in the report, 31 bank agents are operating banking services. The total number of agents of these banks is 15 thousand 540. Which was 14 thousand 663 at the same time last year. At the same time, outlets increased from 20 thousand 177 to 21 thousand 448. 83.99 percent of these agents and 85.50 percent of the outlets are in villages. At the same time, the amount of remittances through agent banks also increased. At the end of September, remittances of Tk 1 lakh 36 thousand 473 crore have arrived. Which is 27.99 percent higher than the same period last year. Private sector Bank Asia launched this service for the first time in 2014 after the promulgation of agent banking policy on December 9, 2013. Until now, the private sector Dutch-Bangla Bank has been at the top in this service. It is followed by Bank Asia and Islami Bank.
ARS.
