ZCZC
BSS-28
BGMEA-MFS-ACCOUNT
19.20 lakh MFS accounts created in RMG sector since April 4
DHAKA, April 18, 2020 (BSS) – Around 19.20 lakh Mobile Financial Service (MFS) accounts have been created since April 4 in the readymade garment (RMG) sector following a move of the government to provide salaries and allowances of the workers and employees through mobile banking.
The accounts have been opened through three MFS providers – Bkash, Rocket and Nagad, said a media statement of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Out of the 19.20 lakh accounts, around 9.70 lakh have been opened through Bkash while 5.50 lakh through Rocket and 4 lakh through Nagad.
Earlier, Bangladesh Bank instructed all authorities concerned to open MFS accounts for all workers and employees of export-oriented industries and factories by April 20 to facilitate providing salaries and allowances from the government’s financial package.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced a stimulus package of Taka 5,000 crore for export-oriented industries to fight the impact of coronavirus on the country’s economy.
Under the stimulus package, the central bank will provide loans without interest as per the demand of banks, but banks can take 2 percent one-time service charge for bearing their administrative costs.
Export-oriented industries, which export minimum 80 per cent of its total production, will be eligible for the government-announced financial stimulus fund.
The owners or management of those industries could take loan from that fund and thus could disburse the salaries of their employees and workers for three months (April, May and June of this year).
The borrowers will get a six-month grace period, meaning that they will start paying back the borrowed money in installments to the government from the seventh month of receiving the money. The loan amount will be repaid in two years by 18 installments.
If anyone does not pay the loan installment in time, the loan will become classified as per the conventional rules and 2 percent interest will have to be paid on the outstanding installments.
BSS/KUC/GA/1819 hrs