The Bangladesh Bank has announced a new agricultural credit policy with a target of disbursing a Tk30,911 crore loan in the fiscal year (FY) 2022-23. The target is 8.88 percent higher than the previous year's Tk28,391 crore. Considering increased demand, the central bank set a target of disbursing Tk11,758 crore in agricultural and rural loans by the state-owned commercial and specialised banks and Tk19,153 crore by the private and foreign commercial banks. The Bangladesh Bank's Agricultural Credit Department Thursday announced the "Annual Agricultural and Rural Credit Policy and Programme" for FY23 with targeted credit disbursement. According to the central bank's agricultural credit policy, agriculture has become more important amid the pandemic and the recent global situation. So, the Bangladesh Bank wants to support this sector through necessary financing. The policy aims at increasing the flow of agricultural credit in rural areas for alleviating poverty, alleviating hunger and ensuring good health – the first three sustainable development goals (SDGs). In FY22, all the scheduled commercial banks disbursed Tk28,834.21 crore in agricultural and rural loans against the target of Tk 28,391crore. According to the central bank, 33.4 lakh people received agricultural and rural loans in the last fiscal year. Among them, 18 lakh were women who received Tk10,829.39 crore. Also, around 25 lakh small and marginal farmers received around Tk20,182.30 crore loans from different banks.  Moreover, Tk19.59 crore was disbursed among 4,073 farmers in char, haor and less developed areas. Also read: 91.46 pc agro credit disbursed till May: BB

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has instructed banks to follow until February 21 the guidelines it issued earlier for operating banking activities to fight off Covid-19. The payment system department of BB on Thursday asked banks to follow the guidelines till February 21 considering the present situation of Covid-19 pandemic. On January 24, the central asked banks to operate those with half of their manpower as per the government’s instructions to prevent Covid-19 virus infection. The central bank’s Department of Off-Site Supervision issued guidelines adding that banking activities should be conducted with half the staff through roster following the hygiene rules. However, the concerned institution will be able to decide on its own need to continue the required banking services, it said. The central renewed the instruction on Thursday and sent it to the top executives of banks to follow the hygiene rules for preventing the spread of coronavirus. As per the guidelines, officers / employees doing office physically must be fully vaccinated. Read: Bangladesh Bank announces 4 pc export subsidy on bicycle, cement sheet, and MS steel It said officers / employees absent from the office at that time will be considered as working from home. Officers / employees working from home will be stationed at their respective workplaces and will complete the official activities virtually (e-tendering, e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp and other means). Hygiene rules must be followed by all officers / employees of banks-financial institutions. Customers who come to receive services must wear masks. The central bank also instructed banks to keep enough money in the ATM outlets and Mobile Financial Service along with assigned adequate manpower for ensuring uninterrupted financial services to meet necessary cash demand of customers.