In the quiet of BRAC Bank’s conference room, four-year-old Nabil sat resting against his mother, Nazmun Nahar, seemingly unaware of the weight of the moment.
His father, Ariful Islam, a freelance graphic designer from Nabinagar in Brahmanbaria, passed away only a month earlier, leaving behind his young family.
On Thursday, Nazmun Nahar came to BRAC Bank to receive her late husband’s life insurance claim cheque, an amount of Tk12.28 lakh provided through Pragati Life Insurance under the bank’s Bancassurance programme, according to a press release.
Nazmun recalled that she and Ariful were married five years ago in an arranged match. They welcomed their son Nabil a year later, and life was steady and content. Ariful, who had moved from a traditional office job to a freelance career, was the family’s mainstay.
But earlier this year, he suddenly fell ill with what was first diagnosed as jaundice. After 23 days of hospitalisation, and despite signs of improvement, he suffered a fatal heart attack at just 30 years old.
For Nazmun, the tragedy felt like being swept away by the violent ‘Afal’, the haor region’s term for a sudden storm.
Yet, she said, one prudent decision by her husband spared her family from complete despair: only months before his death, Ariful had opted for life insurance through BRAC Bank’s bancassurance services.
“I received the cheque for the insurance claim within two days of submitting the documents,” Nazmun said.
“Now I plan to open a Fixed Deposit account with BRAC Bank. The interest will help cover my father-in-law’s medical costs and ensure my son’s education continues. My dream is to raise Nabil to be an ideal person.”
Syed Abdul Momen, Additional Managing Director & Head of SME Banking at BRAC Bank, said Ariful had been a loyal customer who managed all his financial transactions, including his freelance dollar income, through the bank.
“When he visited one of our branches in April this year, our staff advised him to take life insurance through bancassurance for his family’s security,” Momen said.
“He paid only two instalments before his untimely passing, yet his family received the full claim swiftly because of the bancassurance arrangement.”
The insurance cheque was formally handed over to Nazmun Nahar by Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, Managing Director & CEO of BRAC Bank; Md. Jalalul Azim, Managing Director & CEO of Pragati Life Insurance; Syed Abdul Momen, Additional Managing Director & Head of SME Banking; Mahbubur Rahman, Chief Bancassurance Officer of BRAC Bank; and Jahurul Islam, Head and Senior Vice President, Bancassurance Department of Pragati Life Insurance.
BRAC Bank launched its Bancassurance services in 2024, introducing a convenient platform that integrates banking and insurance under one roof.
Through partnerships with leading insurers such as MetLife Bangladesh, Pragati Life, Green Delta, and Pioneer Insurance, customers can now access a wide range of coverage, including life, health, automobile and travel insurance, directly from bank branches.
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A recent innovation, the Credit Shield insurance facility, offers protection for personal and SME loans as well as credit card customers. Dedicated bancassurance officers are also available to help customers choose suitable policies.
By offering these services, BRAC Bank aims to bring insurance closer to the people and promote financial inclusion and security across Bangladesh — ensuring that stories like Ariful’s end not in despair, but in protection and hope for the future.