State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Yafes Osman on Tuesday underscored public-private partnership for technological advancement of the nation to keep Bangladesh on the track of competence globally.
"Automated delivery of new and traditional banking products and services directly to customers through electronic, interactive communication channels will certainly add another feather on the government's cap to transform the country into Digital Bangladesh," he said.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a daylong e-banking exhibition and conference, first of its kind in Bangladesh, as chief guest at Hotel Sheraton in the city this morning.
Axiom Technologies Ltd of Bangladesh and Total Communication of Pakistan jointly organized the event.
Editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam, Chairman of Bankers Association of Bangladesh (BAB) K. Mahmud Sattar, Senior Business Advisor of US-based Emerging Markets Dr Jorge Daly, President of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) Jehan Ara and President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) Habibullah N Karim also spoke at the function. Anis A Khan, president of Bangladesh Lease and Finance Companies Association, gave the welcome address.
The state minister said there is no alternative to introducing e-banking in Bangladesh, which is already being practiced in different countries across the globe as it is now a technology based society.
He assured all-out cooperation from the government in implementing any such initiative in the country. Mahfuz Anam said the current financial crisis is happening only for lack of monitoring.
Adequate monitoring mechanism is needed to stay out of such crisis, he added.
BAB chairman K. Mahmud Sattar said Bangladeshi banks are now providing services to their clients through semi-automated system.
"We must introduce e-banking to make the services faster and smooth."
He hoped that banking services could be extended to people's doorsteps via e-banking.
"The (e-banking) exhibition will benefit the banking sector and the customers," the BAB chairman said.