Introduction of bio-metric ATM machines can help bring down digital crimes that have plagued the nation's banking system, putting depositors' protection in peril, bankers said Saturday.
They said bankers need to shield banks from being ruined by technology-driven frauds and forgery.
Speaking at a banking conference, deputy managing director of Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd Abul Kashem Md Shirin said biometric ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) are more protective than the current version, although the switch may entail increased costs.
His comments come as many private banks battle to fight the increasing number of theft and frauds involving ATM use.
A paper presenter Taslima Akhter said identity theft has become the fastest growing crime in the world.
Although biometric ATM cards is common in other parts of the world, there is almost no instance of using biometric cards in the banking sector of Bangladesh.
She said almost all the banks are using the latest technology to provide services to their clients including ATM cards which is no longer safe.
"With the present PIN based ATM card, an ATM fraud has been increasing dramatically. Biometric cards can be a solution to these problems as it provides strong authentication through the use of biometric characteristics in the authentication process," she said.
Deputy managing director of South-East Bank SM Mainuddin Chowdhury said technology brings frauds and forgery, for which bankers have to put extra efforts to protect the banks.
He said technology can not only reduce the cost and bring efficiency, but enhance employees' job satisfaction.
The two-day Annual Banking Conference 2014 was held at Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) in the city.
Four papers were presented during the second session. These are: Study on Information System Adoption and Job Satisfaction among banking employees in Khulna city by Sandip Sarker; Banking Paradigm and Consumers' Changing Behaviour by Humayun Kabir; Introduction of the Biomatric ATM card in the banking sector of Bangladesh,: A way to reduce the digital crime by Taslima Akhter and Factors affecting job satisfaction of female employees: A comprehensive study on private commercial banks in Sylhet city by Kamrul Ahsan.
In his presentation of the study, Mr Sandip said in the banking sector of Bangladesh specially in Khulna city more IT access enhances employees' job satisfaction. The study also found more training programme on IT increases job satisfaction of the employees.
ICDDR,B head of human resources division Musharrof Hossain said the concept of productivity is largely linked with the happy employees.
"I strongly feel female employees have some special requirements related with job satisfaction," he said.
Mr Musharrof noted that female employees in banks were often sexually harassed by their male colleagues, specially by the supervisors. If this does not stop, the banks will suffer, he added.
According to a Bangladesh Bank (BB) data, 13.08 per cent female work in the entry level, about 9.0 per cent in mid-level, 4.44 per cent work at senior management level in the banking industry of Bangladesh. The number of female employees is on the rise.
Prof Ali Ahsan of management department of Dhaka University also spoke as panelists at the session on 'Information and Communication Technology and Human Resource Management in Banks', chaired by Former managing director of state-owned Sonali Bank SA Chowdhury.
In his remarks, Prof Ali Ahsan said if any bank has dissatisfied employees, it will have dissatisfied customers. Human resource management has been going through a major change in banking because of the adoption of rapidly changing information technology.
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