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Private banks end dominance of NCBs in handling expats' money

Friday, 3 August 2007


Sarwar Zahan
Private sector banks handled more than 57 per cent of the total money sent home by Bangladeshi expatriates in July last, ending a domination by the nationalised banks, according to Bangladesh Bank sources.
Bangladeshi expatriates remitted home a total of $ 486.80 million in July. Of the amount, $ 192.07 million was transferred through nationalised banks, $ 277.81 million through the private banks and $ 10.59 million entered into the country through foreign commercial banks, central bank sources said.
The sources, however, said state-owned Sonali Bank topped among the banks with $94.86 million transferred through it by Bangladeshi expatriates in July. Privately-run Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was ranked second with $ 88.656 million, followed by Agrani Bank, a nationalised bank, with $ 49.02 million during the same month.
Three specialised banks also played an important role in transferring $ 6.33 million.
Some of the private sector banks had a remarkable role in bringing remittance into the country. National Bank, Uttara Bank, Pubali Bank and Brac Bank transferred $ 30.55 million, $ 32.86 million, $ 25.65 million and $ 20.67 million respectively into the country in July this year, central bank sources said.
The private sector banks are emerging as the main channel for transferring money of the expatriates.