Home finance beyond metros United Commercial Bank PLC.

Mohammad Mamdudur Rashid
Chief Executive Officer
United Commercial Bank PLC

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By extending home finance beyond metropolitan markets and combining a construction moratorium with faster digital processing, we aim to support genuine buyers across peri-urban and rural Bangladesh through responsible, long-term financing.

United Commercial Bank PLC is extending home finance beyond traditional metropolitan markets, offering Tk 5 lakh to Tk 4 crore for property purchases, construction and improvement. A six-month construction moratorium, takeover facilities and planned digital pre-approval tools support its push towards faster, more flexible financing for peri-urban and rural customers.

The Daily Star (TDS): What are the primary bottlenecks limiting formal home finance?

Mohammad Mamdudur Rashid (MMR): Affordability is the principal challenge. Rising land, construction and property prices, alongside higher living and borrowing costs, have widened the gap between household income and homeownership. Property documentation, title verification and land-related complexities create further barriers, particularly outside major cities. Many genuine business and professional incomes are also not fully reflected in conventional documentation.

TDS: What products and repayment facilities make UCB home finance more accessible?

MMR: Our Home Finance proposition ranges from Tk 5 lakh to Tk 4 crore for purchasing new or used apartments, or constructing, extending, renovating and improving homes. We are particularly targeting eligible peri-urban and rural customers. Individual construction borrowers may receive a six-month moratorium, while eligible customers can access early-adjustment and takeover facilities with preferential rates. Our nationwide network supports wider delivery.

TDS: How are operational and digital improvements reducing turnaround times?

MMR: We are coordinating credit assessment, valuation and title verification through parallel workflows involving credit teams and specialist legal panels. For legitimate but less conventional income, we aim to assess actual repayment capacity through appropriate verifiable data. We are also developing end-to-end digital onboarding, faster pre-approval, data-driven assessment and AI-enabled tools to simplify applications without weakening credit or legal standards.

TDS: How does the bank support women and first-time home buyers?

MMR: We do not currently operate standalone home-finance schemes exclusively for women or first-time buyers. However, both are strategically important segments. We are evaluating tailored propositions and simplified processes addressing documentation, affordability, convenience and customer education.