Page 46 - ICE BUSINESS TIMES March 2020
P. 46

BANKING INDUSTRY





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         four months of the fiscal year. Efforts   being able to lend? Hopefully not.   still in a nascent s
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         are being made to reduce the interest   The concerns around the liquidity   What is your take on th
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         rate to a single digit to augment   crisis have started to fade away
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         domestic investment. But if the   already. We have seen certain   As a whole, I do not think we hav
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           come to the state where we should
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Government keeps on borrowing at
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          situations unfolding last year but
             Steering The                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                terms of understanding customers’                                                               this rate then there could be a   2020 brings in a breath of fresh air   payment platform, anything
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           be. MFS is basically being used a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         crowding effect, which is a little
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          and we have reasons to be hopeful
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           than that has not yet been done.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          about it. Look at the credit growth
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         concerning, and banks will not be
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           think for the changes to take pla
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          rate of PCBs; it is coming down
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         able to meet demand for loans,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           will take some time. The number o
             Transformation                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              overall lifestyle, and then accordingly                                                         thereby the ultimate objective of   already. In the last six months, it has   brilliant people in t
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         come back with a product. I do not
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          reduced to the point of single digit. It
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         single digit, pushing credit growth,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           especially from the young genera-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         want it to be supply-driven, it should
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          is basically because of the lower
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         may not be achieved.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           tion, have creative and innovativ
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         rather be demand-driven. So under-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         There is another side of the coin.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          demand for loans not because of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ideas. And a lot of startups are
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         analytics and coming up with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        you release a job posting, many turn   standing the customer with better   significant role. For example, in some                Think about the senior citizens who   liquidity scenario.         coming up.  The problem with
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         keep their money in banks in the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        up for interviews. But if I go slightly   tailor-made products are my current   countries the corporations are the               form of fixed deposits. For these   You already mentioned         startups is that, there are not m
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        higher, to perhaps one or two levels,   aspirations with MTB.     agents, but here, we are still relying                         people, who have no other earnings,   that there are 59 banks,    people who can fund those. We do
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        then I find the candidates to be not                              on individuals like you and me.                                the real income will go down. There                               not have venture capital or angel
                      By Tawhidur          Syed Mahbubur Rahman Managing Director &                                                                                                                                                                                     so satisfactory. Since in a bank we   What is your take on the                                                                   could be a likelihood that people may   making it an overheated   investors, which, again is puttin
                          Rashid           CEO of MTB sheds light on his digital aspirations                                                                                                                                                                            deal with people’s money, we need to   current situation of agent    For the overall banking                                     take money out of the banks and   market. Will adding             onus on the bankers. Commercial
                                           for the bank and the need to understand                                                                                                                                                                                      have people who are better than the   banking? You were saying    sector, how do you think                                       invest in properties, buying gold and   more banks be a boon or   banks are less eager to fund a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           startup because they often factor
                                           customers with better analytics and coming up                                                                                                                                                                                average industry standards. Like   there are certain              trust can be brought                                           other things. A lot could happen. We   bane?                      the success rate and the stats th
                                           with tailor-made products                                                                                                                                                                                                    others, MTB provides training to   challenges associated with     back?                                                          might see money coming out of the   A/ In any case, I am just a citizen. I   are not very rosy. Bes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        groom new and old recruits. But are
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         formal sector also. I am not sure, but
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        those enough to enable our work-  it. How do you look at it?      I do not think trust is an issue. If                           this is a hunch, nevertheless, the   am not privy to many things that are   startups is a different
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          happening in the government, or
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           not the same as managing a
                                               tion (USP), you will not prosper.                                                                                                                                                                                        force to combat the challenges of the   In the case of agent banking, since   there are any such issues, you would               concern cannot be ruled out totally.   what is on their mind. I do not have   commercial or a corpo
                                               Since MTB is not a leader in the                                                                                                                                                                                         4th Industrial Revolution? Time has   its inception, we have not seen any   have seen run on in the bank, which                  Nevertheless, I strongly believe the   any insight on the basis of making   that, we also need that
                                               banking industry, we need to have                                                                                                                                                                                        come to flag the topic and take   fraud. Agent banking is basically   has not happened. Perhaps, in cases                        policymakers know what is good for   such a decision. I am hearing that 2   how to handle an emergi
                                               something which will help us in                                                                                                                                                                                          measures accordingly.            banking managed by a third party.   of one or two banks, you have seen                          the country.                     more banks might get license. So   prise. That could be one of the
                                               terms of leapfrogging. That is   significant demography of the                                                                                                                                                                                            My bank’s logo and brand image are   unwanted situations unfolding.                                                              they may have a different under-  reasons why we are not seeing to
              Congratulations on               basically my mid-term goal. We need   population and add a new momen-                                                                                                                                                    If we look back, you are         used, but there’s always a risk.   Otherwise, if you look at the entire                         There is a common                standing or insight, which I do not
              joining MTB!  What are           to see the results as well. We also   tum in our journey.                                                                                                                                                                renowned for ushering            Another thing is, with agent banking   banking industry we have not seen                        perception that banks do         have as an outsider. Having said   many Fintech companies coming i
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           the market. One concerning issue
              your short-term and              need to make the entire process very                                                                                                                                                                                     in a new era in Dhaka            we have more than 6000 crore taka   degradation. That is because of the                         not have money, that is          that, as a practitioner, I think that 59   the lack of data mining
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          prevailing trust. This might sound
              long-term goals for              efficient because our costing   What is your take on the                                                                                                                                                                 Bank with the Go app.            plus, through all the outlets. There is   cynical but yes, people are talking                   why there is no                  itself is a very big number. Because if   of the key features of F
                                               percentage which is around 52%, is
              MTB?  And how do you             very high in terms of the industry.   condition of skilled                                                                                                                                                               Do you have any such             criticism that we are mobilising   about banks in Bangladesh; except                            investment in the                you look at the banking GDP, the   analytics, which is not readily
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         deposits from rural areas and
              want to achieve those?           We have to be leaner as well. Adding   manpower in the                                                                                                                                                                   digital aspiration for           investing in urban areas. This is true   for the bankers, everyone else is an                   domestic front. What is          figures stand around 270/280 billion   available here. Even in the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          USD. In comparison to the number of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           banks, data is not properly store
              There are a few goals. To start with,   to that, we aim to reach out to the   banking industry?                                                                                                                                                           MTB?                             to some extent. But you will see that   expert on banking.                                      your take on that?               banks, that is not a happy number to   let alone using them for fu
              I am putting importance on the   remotest possible areas to provide   I must say that it is a very concern-                                                                                                                                                                                banks have already started extending   There was no liquidity crisis as such,                                                    boast about. So as an individual,   usage. We should look into the
              Human Resources as they are the   solutions to the unbanked popula-  ing area. For any institute to                                                                                                                                                       Simply put, we need to improve the   loans in the rural areas. It takes time   if you look at the AD ratio, overall I            It is not true that banks do not have   having 32 years of banking experi-  issues before we expect
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        customer experience. We are looking
              ones who will implement the      tion via our agent banking. We are   succeed, two kinds of capitals are                                                                                                                                                                                   to understand the market and risks   think it is about 77. Therefore,                           money. Have you heard anything in   ence, my humble suggestions would   emerge and succeed.
              changes that are required by the   also setting up a number of Sub   needed. One is the financial capital,                                                                                                                                                at banking made easy in a digital   involved, and then you can lend. I   instead of liquidity, it is more of a                   the recent past that banks are not   be to add no more banks.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        way; starting from opening accounts
              bank and deliver the services. We   Branches, which I think is a very   which may not be hard to mobilize.                                                                                                                                                                                 am sure very soon you will see loans   distribution issue.
              have to work as a team. So, that is   good initiative, thanks to our   The other one, human capital,                                                                                                                                                      to daily transactions to processing of   in the rural area will increase. At the                                                                                  We have seen the rise of         Can you tell us what is
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        loan applications – the aim is to
              the first thing I am trying to fix, by   Central Bank, which can help us in   requires time to build and the                                                                                                                                                                               end of the day, we need to ensure   What about revising the                                                                                                       your vision for MTB in
              identifying resources within the   terms of mobilizing the projects from   process is very difficult. If you look                                                                                                                                         improve the overall response time.   that the money we are taking will be   recent monetary policy                                                                MFS – it is going good.          the Year 2020?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        We have plans to launch an app
              bank, and according to the       a rural area or suburban area. If we   at our educational system, in many                                                                                                                                                                                 given back or given to the customers,   that allowed the                                                                         But as a whole, when it          I strongly believe my personal go
              strengths, I will take action. The   follow the brick and mortar model,   ways, it is not geared towards                                                                                                                                                  where loan applications can be   our depositors. So I need to ensure                                                                                              comes to Fintech, we are         are entwined with my professional
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        approved in a day or two. Yes, we
              second thing is, because this is the   we will need to spend a lot of   addressing the current needs of the                                                                                                                                                                                that my investments are good as   government to borrow                                                                                                            ones. For this year, I want MTB t
              4th Industrial Revolution, I am   money, but this Sub Branch system   job market. After the colonial                                                                                                                                                      will get the documents later, but the   well, where quality is a concern.   more from the banks?                                                                                                   have a transformation. MTB has a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        moment you submit the documents,
              trying to prepare this bank in that   requires less and is safer than agent   system, the way things shifted, we                                                                                                                                                                           There are a lot of opportunities in the   We can see that the government is                                                                                       very good platform, one of the be
              direction. If we do not embrace   banking. We are launching our   have not seen that much of signifi-                                                                                                                                                     the algorithm will generate a ‘yes’ or   remote areas that are hard to access;   borrowing heavily from the banking                                                                                in the market, but I do not think
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        a ‘no’ answer based on those. On the
              technology, we will fall behind.   Islamic Banking Window very soon.   cant change that are required. There                                                                                                                                                                                agent banking can do good there.   sector. Like their target for the fiscal                                                                                       has delivered its potential. My
              There are 59 banks, a bit too many   We have obtained permission for   is a huge industry-academia gap                                                                                                                                                    trade finance facility as well, we   The same can be said about the   year ending June 2020, was BDT                                                                                               solemn efforts would be to enable
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        want to improve the customer
              for a country like Bangladesh.   fifteen (15) Islamic Banking    and that is true for not only banking                                                                                                                                                                                     distribution of remittances, that is   47000 crore and they have already                                                                                          the bank to set a new standard of
              Imagine a few more joining the   Windows because this is a Muslim   but for all other industries. Every                                                                                                                                                   experience. Besides, we are already   playing a vital role. One thing is,   borrowed more than BDT 50000                                                                                           service excellence. I strongly be
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        working with chat bots, which we
              league and everybody is selling the   country. This is one area we have   year, we see about 2 million plus                                                                                                                                                                                when we are offering agent banking,   crore. This is mainly due to the                                                                                            with the support of my colleagues
              same thing. So, unless you have a   not been able to get into, so I think   people joining the job market. At the                                                                                                                                         expect to launch in 2-3 months time.   the agents are the individuals. We   shortfall in Tax Revenue by more                                                                                       should be able to achieve that
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        We are also trying to do CRM, in
              significant Unique Selling Proposi-  this move will help us capture a   entry level, there is no issue; once                                                                                                                                                                               have not seen corporations play any   than BDT 20000 crore in the first                                                                                           ambition.
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