Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB)a state-owned specialized bank, will install ATM booths for the first time in rural areas.
Ii aims to spread modern banking services to the grassroots people.
"I am very much hopeful about launching the village level booth services within this fiscal year," said Nazrul Islam, Chairman of RAKUB, while talking to reporters.
On successful promotion of the venture, people can avail the scope of drawing money in village atmosphere and any time based on their necessity that will bring a positive change in the rural living and livelihood condition.
He said the bank aims to reach all the modern banking services including online one to the rural people. More than 300 out of total 379 branches of the bank are located in rural areas. This is an advantage of taking the modern services to the peoples' doorstep quickly and effectively.
Already, computerization process has been completed in all the branches and launching of online and SMS banking is now the matter of time.
"We have set a target of disbursing loan worth Taka 19.50 billion and recovering loan of Taka 18.00 billion in the current fiscal," said Nazrul Islam, adding that around Taka 10.99 billion was disbursed and Taka 1106 billon was recovered till December last.
As the largest development partner in all 16 northwest districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions, RAKUB has been operating its banking activities in the country's northwest region targeting its agricultural
sector and all its sub-sectors.
Listing the various steps adopted to make the bank clients-friendly the RAKUB chairman said the process of loan disbursement has been freed from corruption, harassment and middlemen benefiting the public in general.
Giving salient feature of various fairs he says RAKUB has recovered outstanding loans worth Tk 0.18 billion, including classified loan of Tk 0.29 billion, through its Bijoy Mela (Victory Fair), according to BSS report.
It has arranged the two-day fair in all its 379 branches during December 17-18 last marking the 47th Victory Day.
Apart from recovering loans, the bank distributed loan of Tk 12.90 billion in various potential sectors, including crops, farmers' credit, crop-sharing,green banking and dairy and spice farming, he added.
The bank has emerged as a profit making one. It has made operating profit worth Taka 0.29 billion during the last 2016-17 fiscal. "We are expecting profit of more than Taka 0.50 billion in the current fiscal," the former bureaucrat added.
To build a poverty-free Bangladesh, he said the bank had enhanced its lending activities in multipurpose potential fields for boosting agriculture production, intensifying food security and flourishing fisheries, poultry and dairy sectors to reduce protein deficiency.
He said the bank has been putting in its level best effort to establish adynamic leadership along with accountability and transparency in all its activities to earn confidence of the clients.
