Abul Kashem Md Shirin 
Managing Director & CEO, Dutch-Bangla Bank

The Daily Star (TDS): Your bank has recently achieved an annual operating profit surpassing Tk 2,000 crore. What does this milestone signify for your organization?

Abul Kashem Md Shirin (AKMS): Customer confidence is the key to our success. Keeping customer needs in mind, we have consistently launched segmented products such as Mobile Banking (Rocket), Agent Banking, VIP Banking, and Offshore Banking. These products have been widely accepted by the masses.

Our Core Banking, Retail, SME, Corporate, Treasury, and Digital products are developed based on customer needs. Through Branch Banking, Agent Banking, Mobile Banking (Rocket), CRM, and ATMs, we have established the largest banking network in the country.

The bank's card, IT systems, and data center are PCI-DSS, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and Tier-4 certified. Moreover, the bank has two Active-Active data centers.

All these initiatives make Dutch-Bangla Bank a trusted and reliable brand in the banking sector of Bangladesh.

TDS: What key factors contributed to reaching this milestone despite the current challenges in the banking sector?

AKMS: We are now a happy family of over 6.30 crore customers, who have contributed to a substantial amount of low-cost deposits for the bank.

The bank maintains a strong liquidity base and has sufficient capital to finance large corporates.

We have kept NPLs at 3.71%, which is in the lower bracket of the industry.

Dutch-Bangla Bank is a tech-savvy bank, with 8,250 units of ATMs/CRMs, which make up more than half of the country's total ATMs/CRMs. These ATMs/CRMs are set up across Bangladesh, including in remote areas.

We also have a widely used app, NexusPay, which can be used both locally and internationally. NexusPay is the first fully cardless solution in Bangladesh.

TDS: Looking ahead, what strategies do you have in place to ensure continued growth and adaptability?

AKMS: In line with the current generation's needs, Dutch-Bangla Bank is preparing to launch several new digital banking services, with some already ready for launch. Furthermore, arrangements have been made for further financial inclusion through more innovative services.

The bank has established sub-branches in each Upazila of the country and agent outlets in each union/hat bazar so that rural people can access banking services at their doorstep.

TDS: What are the most critical areas for reform in the banking sector, and how should they be addressed to ensure long-term stability and development?

AKMS: The world is moving towards cashless transactions. Cash transactions should be made costly, while electronic transactions should be kept free, to discourage cash use and encourage digital payments.

To popularize QR payments, banks need to install QR codes in rural retail shops, allowing customers to make cashless transactions easily and freely.

Banking will be significantly impacted by technology, and new digital products will alter the landscape. Therefore, more investment needs to be made in technology, with a focus on cybersecurity.

Initiatives must be taken to bring banking services to the doorsteps of expatriates, allowing them to easily send foreign currency back home from abroad.