Bank Asia launches Bangladesh’s first ATM booth for women

Bank Asia has launched the country's first women's ATM booth at Sonakanda in Keraniganj, Dhaka aiming to encourage females' access to digital transactions and improving financial management.

Adil Chowdhury, president and managing director (current charge) of the bank, inaugurated the ATM booth on the Bank Asia DPO Agent Outlet premise at Sonakanda on Tuesday, a press release said.

"We are committed to bringing more unbanked people into the banking network to help achieve sustainable economic development through boosting financial inclusion across the country," Chowdhury said at the programme.

He also said Bank Asia has been working relentlessly to provide services to all segments of society, including rural masses and marginalised people living in the most remote parts of Bangladesh.

Chowdhury expressed his optimism that the new women's ATM booth would play a pivotal role in encouraging women to engage in digital banking transactions.

Later, the president and managing director inaugurated a Women's Corner inside the Sonakanda Agent Outlet.

Mohammad Ziaul Hasan Molla, deputy managing director of Bank Asia, Jason Lamb, deputy director, and Snigdha Ali, senior programme officer of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, were present.

"The Women's ATM is a first of its kind initiative in Bangladesh as well as the world probably. I never saw it before," Jason Lamb explained.

The programme turned into a festive mood in the presence of a huge number of female clients and locals.

Bank Asia with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation set up the Women's ATM aiming to facilitate financial inclusion activities through reinforcing women empowerment in Bangladesh with a two-year grant based digital financial inclusion project.

Under the same project, three more women's ATMs have started operation from Tuesday at Begum Badrunnessa Government Girls' College, Kodomtola and Paris Road City Digital Centre Agent Outlets in Dhaka city to encourage women clients.

Besides, another six women 's ATMs will be set up in different places of the country under the project.