Call to ensure farmer-friendly banking for boosting crop production

RAJSHAHI, May 10 (BSS) : Speakers at a banking related review meeting asked the zonal managers of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) to speed up its farmer-level lending activities. This will help boost agricultural production to meet the gradually increasing national food demand.
They said all the credit programmes of the bank should be need-oriented and emphasis should be given on reaching banking service to the doorstep of the farmers.
They were addressing a day-long quarterly performance evaluation meeting of all the zones of the bank held at the bank's training institute in the city Sunday.
All the 18 zonal managers and audit officers and others concerned from both Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions were present at the review meeting.
Managing director Monzur Ahmed and deputy managing director Abdul Khaleque Khan addressed the conference as the chief and special guest respectively. General manager ((Rajshahi division) Abdus Samad and general manager (Rangpur division) Abdul Latif also spoke.
The speakers laid stress on bringing all the existing potential sectors and sub-sectors of agriculture and its processing under qualitative and quantitative financing for making the country's northwest region economically vibrant.
The speakers called for ensuring accountable, transparent and farmers-friendly banking services as a whole for sustainable livelihood development of the farmers and for bolstering the agro-based economy,
They said the pro-farmer banking in the bank must be ensured for cherished development of the region after the best use of its existing natural resources.
They termed the zonal managers as the vital force for transforming the bank into a profitable organisation and asked them to perform their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty to attain the cherished goal.
"You have to supplement the government effort for boosting the agricultural production, livelihood development of the farmers along with ensuring food security," said managing director Monzur Ahmed.
Referring to the importance of good planning and efforts, he gave directives to attain cent per cent target of loan disbursement and recovery, particularly classified loans and deposit collection.
"We have no way but to boost agricultural production for food security and to reduce dependence on import," he reminded them