Agrani Bank Limited
Agrani Bank Limited emerged as a Nationalized Commercial Bank following the Bangladesh Banks (Nationalization) Order 1972 vide President’s Order No. 26 of 1972 under which former Habib Bank Limited and Commerce Bank Limited and renamed as Agrani Bank. The Bank was incorporated as a State-owned Commercial Bank on 17 May 2007 under the Companies Act 1994. On a going concern basis, Agrani Bank Limited took over the business, assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of Agrani Bank through a vendor’s agreement signed on 15 November 2007 between the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Board of Directors of ABL with retrospective effect from 01 July, 2007. After corporatization, the management of the bank has been given autonomy to make the bank competitive and to run its business effectively. The Bank’s current shareholdings comprise Government of Peoples Republic of Bangladesh and 9(Nine) other shareholders nominated by the Government. The Bank has 960 branches and 15 windows that are working under Islamic Banking Unit complying with the rules of Islamic Shariah. In addition to traditional deposit taking in various accounts and providing loans to almost all sectors of the economy, the bank offers many other services through its schemes of school banking, inland travelers cheques, pension funds, industrial development bond and inland remittance. The bank operates some income generating and economic development projects too.
Basic Facts and Economic Indicators (In Million Taka)
| Indicators | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Authorized Capital | 25000 | 25000 | 2500 |
| Paid up Capital | 20723 | 20723 | 20723 |
| Reserved Fund | 20090 | 20122 | 21933 |
| Deposits | 621927 | 692243 | 921990 |
| (a) Call Deposits | 181913 | 202883 | 290941 |
| (b) Term Deposits | 440014 | 489360 | 631049 |
| Loans and Advances | 395753 | 465827 | 520495 |
| Investment | 159230 | 199676 | 296209 |
| Total Asset | 78915 | 856721 | 1092238 |
| Total Income | 48224 | 55577 | 57966 |
| Total Expenditure | 39902 | 44867 | 48719 |
| Foreign Currency Trading | 445110 | 700801 | 565243 |
| a) Export | 82800 | 109234 | 106366 |
| b) Import | 235510 | 441840 | 248738 |
| c) Remittance | 126800 | 149727 | 210139 |
| Total Manpower | 12656 | 12051 | 11389 |
| a) Officers | 10677 | 10331 | 9926 |
| b) Staff | 1979 | 1720 | 1463 |
| Correspondent Banks | 302 | 309 | 346 |
| Total Branches (in numbers) | 952 | 956 | 960 |
| a) Domestic | 952 | 956 | 960 |
| b) Overseas | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Agriculture Credit | |||
| Loan Disbursed | 6794 | 6865 | 5036 |
| Realised | 1982 | 2740 | 3087 |
| Industrial Credit | |||
| Loan Disbursed | 65139 | 77466 | 59014 |
| Realsied | 8633 | 10079 | 6834 |
| Loan outstanding by Sector | |||
| a) Agriculture and fisheries | 16220 | 17798 | 19702 |
| b) Industry | 108618 | 111674 | 127654 |
| c) Trade and commerce | 87744 | 110261 | 137332 |
| d) Poverty reduction | 764 | 850 | 972 |
| e) Construction | 41012 | 49288 | 63886 |
| f) Electricity, Gas and Water Supply | 0 | 0 | 8742 |
| g) Transport and Communication | 4767 | 5626 | 7881 |
| CSR | 0 | 7 | 16 |
Source Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Finance, Banking and Financial Institution Division, Barshik Protibedon [Annual Report on Banks and Financial Institutions], 2019-20 and 2020-2021.
Agrani Bank Limited has set up a countrywide network to facilitate smooth and prompt transfer of money remitted by wage earners to their relatives or nominated representatives. To this end the bank has established banking connectivity with countries of Middle East, Gulf, South and East Asia and Italy to collect remittances from the expatriates. It has arrangements to ensure direct channeling of remittances to Bangladesh through its two overseas subsidiary companies and agreements with 32 foreign banks/exchange houses. [Muhammad Abdul Mazid]
