Agent Banking
“First Security Islami Bank PLC. got permission from Bangladesh Bank to commence Agent Banking Services on September 01, 2015. The Agent Banking outlet is running under the ABS system integrated with CBS. The brand name is “FSIB Agent Banking”.
It is a mini banking system looking exactly like a model branch where the following services such as Account Opening, Cash Deposit/withdrawal, BEFTN, BACH & RTGS etc. in limited scale ( as per Bangladesh Bank guidelines) are provided.
Frequently Asked Question for Agent Banking
- An entity should fulfil the following conditions to be eligible for entering into contract with banks
- It should be a juristic person;
- Agent banking shall not be in ultra vires to the parent, statute, memorandum and articles of association or other constitutive document or objects of the juristic person; and
- The agent, in the case of a proprietorship, or the agent’s directors, significant shareholders, and/or senior officers, as the case may be, is fit and proper.
- It shall be an entity having multiple branch offices or outlets, either owned or otherwise engaged legally by it.
- If the entity is a private sector organization, it shall possess a business license or permit for any lawful business activity.
- The owner or manager of the entity or the juristic person shall possess at least 1 (one) year of experience in the related field.
- It shall be carrying out the business activity on ongoing basis.
- It shall possess managerial, financial and technical expertise for managing agent banking outlets in addition to its regular operations.
- It shall have willingness and capacity to invest in managing liquidity, risk management, security management and continuous capacity development of agent banking outlets of a bank.
- The agent banking outlet must have at least 2 (two) persons (a manager and a teller) with required managerial and financial expertise for this purpose and 1 (one) counter for cash transaction.
- In cases where the master agent provides agent banking services through third party outlets, which are engaged legally, the outlets and outlet owners/managers shall fulfil the eligibility criteria for unit agent.
- It shall be an entity having valid business license or permit for any lawful business.
- The owner or manager of the entity or the juristic person shall possess at least 1 (one) year of experience in the related field.
- It shall be carrying out the business activity on ongoing basis.
- It shall possess managerial, financial and technical expertise for managing agent banking outlet of a bank in addition to its regular operations.
- It shall have willingness and capacity to invest in managing liquidity, risk management, security management and continuous capacity development.
- The unit agent must have at least 2 (two) persons (a manager and a teller) for this purpose and 1 (one) counter for cash transaction.
- Bank related persons as defined in section 26M of the Bank-Company Act, 1991. Bank officials will not be eligible to become an agent in the same bank within 1 (one) year of his/her retirement or resignation.
- Defaulters with any bank or financial institution.
- Bankrupts.
- Convicted by a court of law, up to 3 (three) years after completion of sentences or penalties.
- Under investigation for any criminal charges.
- Under investigation or convicted of money laundering or terrorist financing activities.
- Under investigation of the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The following juristic persons are eligible to act as banking agents:
- MFIs regulated by Microcredit Regulatory Authority of Bangladesh;
- NGOs registered with Social Welfare Directorate;
- Societies registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860;
- Cooperative Societies formed and controlled/supervised under the Cooperative Society Act, 2001;
- Government offices having branch/unit offices;
- Courier and mailing service companies registered under Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications;
- Companies registered under the Companies Act, 1994;
- Agents of mobile network operators that fulfils the eligibility criteria as laid down in these Guidelines;
- Local government institutions;
- Union Digital Centre (UDC);
- Agents of insurance companies that fulfil the eligibility criteria as laid down in these Guidelines;
- Any business entity having trade licenses from eligible authorities that fulfils the eligibility criteria as laid down in these Guidelines; and
An agent may provide any of the following services as may be specifically agreed between it and the bank:
- Cash deposit and cash withdrawal
- Inward foreign remittance disbursement
- Disbursement and repayment of loans
- Collections of bills/utility bills
- Collection of insurance premium
- Payment of retirement and social benefits
- Payment of salaries
- Transfer of funds
- Balance enquiry
- Generation and issuance of mini bank statements
- Collection of documents in relation to accounts
- ollect account opening forms, loan application forms, credit and debit card applications
- Monitoring and recovery of loans and advances sanctioned by the bank and
- Any other activity as Bangladesh Bank may prescribe from time to time
- Enter into agent banking contract with more than one bank.
- Operate or carry out an electronic transaction when there is communication failure/error in the system;
- Carry out a transaction when a transactional receipt or acknowledgement cannot be generated;
- Charge customers directly any fee beyond banks’ prescribed fees;
- Offer any type of guarantee in favor of any customer;
- Offer banking services on its own accord (provide banking services on its own account similar to those provided by it under an agency contract) or offer services that the principal is not authorized to offer;
- Continue with the agency business when it has a criminal record or disciplinary case involving fraud, dishonesty or any other financial impropriety;
- Provide, render or hold itself out to be providing or rendering any financial service which is not specifically permitted in the contract;
- Open accounts, grant loans or carry out any appraisal function for purposes of opening an account or granting of a loan or any other facility;
- Make debit or credit transactions using cheque;
- Transact in foreign currency;
- Representing the bank in any means to a third party without written consent from the bank; and
- Be run or managed by a bank’s employee or its associate.
Interested clients are requested to contact with the nearest branches for detail information and guidance. For further information, please contact during banking hour at the following numbers:
01993314700, 01938886191