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'Interest on post office savings to return to previous rates'

| Updated: February 27, 2020 15:28:51


'Interest on post office savings to return to previous rates'

The interest on the post office savings tools, which were slashed recently, are likely to return to their previous rates subject to the completion of automation formalities of those tools by March 17 this year.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said this talking to reporters after chairing two separate meetings on Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase at the Cabinet Division on Wednesday.

“The automation of the post office savings tools is likely to be completed by March 17. After that the interest rates of those tools will return to their previous rates,” he said.

He said the savings instruments issued from the banks have already come under automation to check misuse of those. “Now, hopefully the savings tools under post office will go automation by March 17 this year,” he added.

Like the other savings schemes, Kamal informed that the beneficiaries of the post office savings tools would have to give IDs and TIN numbers, but there would require no TIN numbers for making deposit up to Taka two lakh under this post office savings schemes while its ceiling of investment would remain intact.

The Finance Minister said the government wants to ensure discipline in every sector adding, “We’ll definitely ensure that. There is no time for us to look backwards and we’ll have to look forwards.”

The government earlier this month slashed the interest rate on savings in post office by half to facilitate implementation of the single-digit interest rate in the country’s banking sector.

The Internal Resources Division of the finance ministry earlier published a gazette notification by reducing the interest rate on investment in post office’s savings scheme with immediate effect.

According to the notification, interest rate on three-year fixed deposit was reduced to 6 percent from 11.28 percent on maturity.

Answering to a question, the Finance Minister said the government is holding meetings and seeking opinions from high officials of the banks to frame the law for forming the body on asset management.

Replying to a question, he said that the government would form the bank commission, but it would take time.

Turning to the issue of toll management, Kamal said such system is in operation across the globe and it is also necessary for Bangladesh to properly maintain the roads and bridges. “But, we’ll have to go automation for ensuring better management of this system.” he said.

 

 

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