In Bangladesh, there was a substantial increase in remittance inflow this past October. This follows a decline seen in September earlier this year. With the government encouraging banks to embrace remittance payments, this uptick is definitely a good sign.

Utilising the thorough data provided by the Bangladesh Bank, we can examine which banks received what in terms of remittance payments, and who the highest and lowest performers were.

Total Remittances Received in Bangladesh in October

Overall, Bangladesh received $1.239 billion in remittance in October from Bangladeshis living all over the world. In September, expatriate Bangladeshis sent back $1.138 billion, and in August, the figure was $1.411 billion.

As you can see, the total remittance figures fluctuate substantially, but generally stand beyond the $1.1 billion figure.

Which Banks Received the Most

When it comes to which banks performed best and worst, the commercial state-owned banks took a total of $299,36 million combined from expatriate Bangladeshis, while specialised banks received $14.57 million.

These six commercial banks include Janata, Agrani, Rupali, BASIC, Sonali, and BDBL, and the two specialised banks are BKB and RAKUB. All of these banks are state-owned, and the more specialised banks took substantially less overall, owing to them focusing more on other services.

The Top Earners

The banks that stood at the top, earning more than the others combined were the private commercial ones, namely Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL), Dutch-Bangla Banks, and Mutual Trust Bank. Combined these earned $369.84 million, and individually $224.50 million, $93.51 million and $51.83 million, respectively. Earning $8.88 million were the nine foreign banks.

State Owned Bank Individual Takings

Four state-owned banks earned a combined total of almost $300 million. BDBL took no remittance at all, Agrani Bank earned $122.56 million, Sonali Bank took $87.68 million, Janata Bank $72.08 million, Rupali $16.87 million and BASIC bank $0.17 million.

Other Private Banks

When it comes to other private banks, the total earnings are as follows:

  • Trust Bank received $47.63 million
  • BRAC Bank received $39.74 million
  • Southeast Bank Limited (SBL) took $37.26 million
  • Mercantile Bank received $37.80 million
  • National Bank $37.32 million
  • Pubali Bank received $37.02 million
  • Bank Asia took $35.78 million
  • NCCBL took $30.93 million
  • Al Arafa Islami Bank received $25.24 million
  • Prime Bank $27.32 million
  • Eastern Bank took $27.12 million
  • Uttara Bank $25.23 million
  • AB Bank received $20.53 million
  • Social Islam Bank $17.50 million
  • Jamuna Bank received just $10.37 million

Overall, the poorest performers when it comes to remittance taking are DBBL, Rajshahi Krishi, National Bank of Pakistan and Unnayan Bank (Rakub). All of those earned zero remittance.

Usually, the poor performers are NRB Banks, but the government encouraged these, allowing NRB Banks to take $0.76 million, NRB Commercial Bank $0.42 million and NRB Global Bank $0.55 million.

Sonali Bangladesh (UK) Limited on 16th August 2022 took over the existing legal obligations of Sonali Bank (UK) Limited by virtue of section 81 (2) of the Companies Act 2006.

 Sonali Bank (UK) Limited closed all personal accounts on 31st December 2017. The balance remaining on the accounts was subsequently transferred to independent trustees appointed for that purpose, in accordance with the terms of a trust deed entered between SBUK and the trustees. This was communicated to customers at the time so as they could contact the Trustees to make applications for unclaimed funds.

 To allow former account holders more time to apply for unclaimed deposits from the Trustees, the Trust has been extended by a further 5 years until 20th February 2029.

 The trustees are Christine Bartlett and Nigel Heath Sinclair of Richard Long & Co, whose contact details are as follows:

 Christine Bartlett and Nigel Heath Sinclair

Richard Long & Co

Castlegate House

36 Castle Street

Hertford

Hertfordshire

SG14 1HH

 Telephone number: 01992 503372.

 Email: heath.sinclair@richardlong.co.uk (with a copy to enquiries@richardlong.co.uk)

  

If you wish to claim payment of amounts owed to you, the appropriate course will be to make a request for payment in writing to the trustees using the contact details above, rather than SBUK. When you contact the trustees in this way, you will be required to prove your identity in the same way as if you were withdrawing the funds from the Bank prior to 31st December 2017. 

 

Please note that funds transferred to the trustees, do not earn any interest as per the Trust arrangement.   

In Bangladesh, there was a substantial increase in remittance inflow this past October. This follows a decline seen in September earlier this year. With the government encouraging banks to embrace remittance payments, this uptick is definitely a good sign.

Utilising the thorough data provided by the Bangladesh Bank, we can examine which banks received what in terms of remittance payments, and who the highest and lowest performers were.

Total Remittances Received in Bangladesh in October

Overall, Bangladesh received $1.239 billion in remittance in October from Bangladeshis living all over the world. In September, expatriate Bangladeshis sent back $1.138 billion, and in August, the figure was $1.411 billion.

As you can see, the total remittance figures fluctuate substantially, but generally stand beyond the $1.1 billion figure.

Which Banks Received the Most

When it comes to which banks performed best and worst, the commercial state-owned banks took a total of $299,36 million combined from expatriate Bangladeshis, while specialised banks received $14.57 million.

These six commercial banks include Janata, Agrani, Rupali, BASIC, Sonali, and BDBL, and the two specialised banks are BKB and RAKUB. All of these banks are state-owned, and the more specialised banks took substantially less overall, owing to them focusing more on other services.

The Top Earners

The banks that stood at the top, earning more than the others combined were the private commercial ones, namely Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL), Dutch-Bangla Banks, and Mutual Trust Bank. Combined these earned $369.84 million, and individually $224.50 million, $93.51 million and $51.83 million, respectively. Earning $8.88 million were the nine foreign banks.

State Owned Bank Individual Takings

Four state-owned banks earned a combined total of almost $300 million. BDBL took no remittance at all, Agrani Bank earned $122.56 million, Sonali Bank took $87.68 million, Janata Bank $72.08 million, Rupali $16.87 million and BASIC bank $0.17 million.

Other Private Banks

When it comes to other private banks, the total earnings are as follows:

  • Trust Bank received $47.63 million
  • BRAC Bank received $39.74 million
  • Southeast Bank Limited (SBL) took $37.26 million
  • Mercantile Bank received $37.80 million
  • National Bank $37.32 million
  • Pubali Bank received $37.02 million
  • Bank Asia took $35.78 million
  • NCCBL took $30.93 million
  • Al Arafa Islami Bank received $25.24 million
  • Prime Bank $27.32 million
  • Eastern Bank took $27.12 million
  • Uttara Bank $25.23 million
  • AB Bank received $20.53 million
  • Social Islam Bank $17.50 million
  • Jamuna Bank received just $10.37 million

Overall, the poorest performers when it comes to remittance taking are DBBL, Rajshahi Krishi, National Bank of Pakistan and Unnayan Bank (Rakub). All of those earned zero remittance.

Usually, the poor performers are NRB Banks, but the government encouraged these, allowing NRB Banks to take $0.76 million, NRB Commercial Bank $0.42 million and NRB Global Bank $0.55 million.