Bank loan helps hundreds get overseas jobs

With phenomenal increase in the loan disbursement, Probashi Kallyan Bank (PKB), a specialised bank for expatriates' welfare, helped hundreds of people seeking livelihood in the oversees job market, reports BSS.
The bank experienced sharp rise in its loan disbursement to the potential migrant workers since its establishment three years ago.
According to the bank, its credit disbursement to the migrant workers rose phenomenally by 87 per cent at the end of last year when it gave Tk 205 million  migration loans to
1, 950 people to help them get overseas jobs. The bank assisted 1,140 people to migrate for employment in 2012 by giving them Tk 109.80 million loans.
At the same time, the bank also gave Tk 7 million loan to 30 people to rehabilitate them after returning home as retrenched workers.
Under the migrant loan programme, the people got jobs in countries, including Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, Bahrain, Jordan, United Arab Emirate, Italy and Mauritius.
"The loan disbursement increased though the net migration was on decline as the bank gave special attention to help people migrate overseas for employment", PKB managing director and chief executive officer C M Koyes Sami told the news agency.
He said the bank gave loan to all eligible applicants and the amount of loan disbursement would increase in the coming years.
The managing director said the bank till March 2014 gave Tk 350 million migration loan to 4,000 people.
Established in April 20, 2011, the bank for the expatriates' welfare provides collateral-free loan at only 9.0 per cent rate of interest to the potential workers for going abroad.
The amount of loan is Tk 84,000 for the workers going to the countries in Asia, Africa and Middle East. The people who want to go to Europe, America and other western countries can get Tk 0.11million  loan for migration.
Koyes Sami said the bank had already taken various initiatives to help people get jobs in different countries. Among the initiatives are opening of branches in divisional headquarters and 27 districts where concentration of potential migrants is relatively higher.
Three booths have also been opened at three international airports of the country besides opening of liaison offices in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirate and South Korea.
Besides, he said the bank already contacted the workers importing countries to make an arrangement for more fund so more people can get loan under the credit scheme for migrants.
For the expatriate Bangladeshis, the bank introduced a pension scheme, he said.