Bangladesh Bank has asked banks to take measures in order to encourage their employees to adopt the government's Universal Pension Scheme.

The instruction excludes the employees working at government-owned commercial and specialised banks, the central bank said in a notice yesterday.

Currently, the employees of government, semi-government or autonomous organisations receive pension benefits from the state.

Launched in August last year, the scheme aims at bringing the growing elderly population of the country under a well-organised social safety net and providing them with a monthly stipend so that they can meet expenses.

All citizens aged between 18 and 50 years, including expatriate Bangladeshis, are eligible.

There are four products -- Pragati, Surokkha, Samata and Probashi -- under the pension initiative.

Pragati covers private job-holders and Surokkha is dedicated to rickshaw pullers, workers, potters, smiths, fishermen, weavers and self-employed persons.

Samata is for the people with low income and Probashi will cover expatriate Bangladeshis.

Some 17,995 people have subscribed to the scheme in the first five months after the launch, said an official of the National Pension Scheme Authority.