City fair brings the whole range of bankingproducts under one roof

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A view of the Bank and Non-Bank Financial Institution Fair - 2009 Friday, the second day of the programme at the Winter Garden of Dhaka Sheraton. — FE Photo

Mehdi Musharraf Bhuiyan
Big names in the country's financial sector are extensively addressing the latest microeconomic needs of the country's shifting economic scenario at one of the biggest expositions of financial institutions currently being held in the city.
Instead of feeding the opulence of the rich upper class, participants at the three-day fair, which began Thursday, are promoting products that cater to the need of the core and emerging segments of the country's economy, like agriculture sector, small and medium enterprises and, most commonly, the women entrepreneurs.
Being held for the second time at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, the "Bank and Non-Bank Financial Institutions Fair-2009" has brought 25 leading financiers of the country under the same roof.
Both long and short-term loans ranging from Tk 200,000 (two lakh) to Tk 5,000,000 under various lending schemes have been offered on flexible conditions by the leading banks for financing small and medium scale ventures in both service and industrial sectors.
At the same time, various loan schemes catering to requirements of farming and agriculture activities including setting up of nursery, dairy, poultry and hatchery farms or procurement of agricultural machinery have been extensively showcased in the fair.
"This is a win-win situation for both participants and visitors," said a top official of Exim Bank Limited, one of the leading private commercial banks participating in the fair.
"Through organising such events, bankers as well as customers can make a comparison between their products and services," he added.
Financial products that cater to the dynamic needs of the rising middle class, for example, a wide range of auto loans and home loans, are the most common feature of the participating stalls.
Addressing the varied issues related to rising overseas employment, the banks are also promoting official money transfer services targeting the expatriate Bangladeshis sending remittance from abroad.
The simultaneous growing popularity of Shariah-based banking system and electronic banking facilities has been evident in the extensive promotion of Shariah-based credit card in the fair.
Companies dealing with merchant banking as well as insurance companies are also having a growing presence in the exhibition.