Bangladesh’s Dutch-Bangla Bank has launched mobile banking services at all the 1,026 branches of Bangladesh Krishi Bank. Under an agreement between the two banks, BKB will provide DBBL’s mobile banking services such as account-opening, cash deposit (cash-in) and cash withdrawal (cash-out) to unbanked consumers in Bangladesh. All DBBL’s existing mobile banking customers will also be able to get services from any of the BKB branches. DBBL launched its mobile banking service in March 2011, providing cash-in, cash-out, merchant payments, utility bill payments, salary disbursements, foreign remittances, government benefit disbursements and ATM withdrawals. DBBL has about 1.1 million mobile money customers in Bangladesh, as well as 20,000 agents who provide account-opening and cash-in and cash-out services for customers. The bank has seen more than 150 million mobile money transactions, including bill payments, and is adding 100,000 customers a month. In April 2013, DBBL signed an agreement with telecoms operator Airtel Bangladesh and the Jaago Foundation, a charity raising funds for the education of underprivileged children. The agreement means that DBBL bank account-holders can donate money to the Jaago Foundation from their mobile banking accounts.
