2 banks allowed agent banking

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has allowed two commercial banks -- Bank Asia Ltd and NRB Commercial Bank Ltd -- to conduct agent baking activities, reports BSS.

From now on, Bank Asia Ltd will be able to appoint 30 agents while NRB Commercial Bank Ltd 20 agents to operate agent banking, said a BB release.

Earlier in 2013, Bank Asia Ltd operated agent banking on a pilot basis in Munshiganj district by appointing two agents.

The bank provided services to 2,000 clients.

On December 2013, the central bank laid out agent banking guideline with a view to creating an enabling environment for commercial banks to offer financial services to a new customer base.

Agent banking will allow an agent to provide limited-scale banking and financial services to the underserved population on behalf of a bank.