Mercantile Bank vows to contribute to country\\\'s dev

Mercantile Bank Ltd, a private commercial bank, vowed Sunday to contribute to the country's sustainable development through its quality products and expanded service network in the coming years.
Its top officials made the pledge at a press conference arranged on the occasion of the bank's 15th founding anniversary at its head office in the city.
M Amanullah, chairman of the bank and M Ehsanul Haque, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO), addressed the press conference, which was attended, among others, by Md Anwarul Haque, chairman of the bank's executive committee, directors MS Ahsan, Al-Haj Akram Hussain (Humayun), ASM Feroz Alam, Md Abdul Hannan and Mohd. Selim and Deputy Managing Directors Md Quamrul Islam Chowdhury and Mohammad Masoom.
Marking the anniversary, the bank also arranged a blood donation programme at the head office on the day.
Ehsanul Haque highlighted the bank's service, development and other relevant issues achieved in 15 years since the bank's journey, and also presented the future plan.
"In continuation of the bank's recognition to different personnel since 2002, it is going to give "Mercantile Bank Achievement Award-2014" to 10 personnel and one organisation for their special contribution in various fields this year too", Mr Amanullah said.
About the plan, the chairman further said that the Mercantile Bank has targeted to touch 101 branches within this year. The bank has already set up 93 branches in the last 15 years, he added.
Mr Amanullah said that the bank is giving special emphasis on expanding its "My Cash", a mobile financial service, across the country under its future plan.
Expressing his eagerness to increase the bank's investment, he said that the amount of investment will go up in the July-August period.
The bank is recruiting young and fresh graduates to support its plan of expanding quality banking services for the customers, he added.
About the interest rate, he said that the rate of interest on deposit is decreasing; "I hope that it will go down to single digit by this year."
Apart from making profit, the bank also provides assistance to the helpless and different disaster-affected people, and gives "Mercantile Bank Abdul Jalil Education Scholarship" to the meritorious but poor students under the "Mercantile Bank Foundation" as per its responsibility to the society, the chairman said.
On the occasion of the 15th founding anniversary, Mr Amanullah thanked all officials and employees of the bank for their relentless efforts to bring the bank to such a position.
He also expressed his gratefulness to the government, securities regulator, Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges and RJSC for their cooperation.
Mr Ehsanul Haque said the bank is continuously modernising its services considering need and satisfaction of the customers and trying to take the modern banking services to their door steps. As part of the efforts, the bank launched the real time banking software "TIMENOS T24" this year.
The bank also launched SMS banking, school banking, offshore banking, exchange house, securities services and expanded ATM network. It has already enhanced its agent points to 50,000 across the country, he said and pledged to build a more expanded network of the bank in the shortest possible time.