DHAKA, July 25, 2020 (BSS) – Experts at a discussion today urged
banks to change their mode of operation from traditional system to
centralized system to fulfill customer’s banking needs during normal
and after the pandemic.
They made the call at the BMCCI Web Talk Series, Session-8, titled
“Pandemic and Banking in Bangladesh”, has been powered by ROBI, said a
press release.
President of the Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (BMCCI) Raquib Mohammad Fakhrul gave the welcome speech while
Managing Director and CEO of Mutual Trust Bank Limited (MTB) Syed
Mahbubur Rahman spoke on the occasion.
Raquib Mohammad Fakhrul said the country’s banking system now faces
unprecedented challenges as the on-going pandemic has wreaked havoc on
the economy.
“Economic problems, when they fester and get compounded, affect
social cohesion. This new reality is making senior bank executives
anxious because the prognosis for the foreseeable future concerning a
range of performance metrics, including profitability, liquidity, and
capital is not good,” he added.
Syed Mahbubur Rahman said currently banking sector is struggling
hard with non-performing loans, declining margins in a capped interest
rate regime, deteriorations in various efficiency indicators,
government directed restructuring of loans and declining demand for
loanable funds.
He said now it’s time for all other banks to change their mode of
operation from traditional system to centralized operation system to
fulfil customer’s baking need during new normal and after the
pandemic.
“Majority of the banking can be done from home if we are ready to
adopt the virtual banking in this pandemic through reducing paperwork,
offering individual digital products, by educating customers,
implementing electronic signature, electronic transaction and
payments, building interconnected network, electronic channel, digital
recording and archive etc,” he added.
He laid emphasis on increasing the withdrawal limit from ATM booths
and advised to pay installment and credit card bills through mobile
banking account.
He hoped these efforts would be highly effective to keep the banks
less crowded and safe for both the clients and bankers.
Among others, BMCCI Past President Syed Moazzam Hossain and BMCCI
Secretary General Mahbubul Alam also spoke.