Islami Bank’s attractive pavilion at DITF draws crowd every day

Sumona Parvin, a primary schoolteacher, visited the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) on her holiday on Friday. As she entered the fair premises through the main entrance, she was surprised to see the attractive pavilion of Islamic Bank Bangladesh Ltd (IBBL).

The pavilion looks like a minaret from the outside, with water sprouting from the top and two water fountains on either side. Visitors were seen taking pictures in front of the pavilion.

Suddenly Sumona remembered she had planned to open an account for her 4th grade girl under IBBL's school student savings scheme.

When she entered the pavilion to find out the requirements for opening a bank account, a bank official came forward to help her, and provided her with details about IBBL's available products.

She was amazed to see a map of Bangladesh painted inside the pavilion, highlighting many structures such as schools, hospitals, ships and power plants that have been built with financing from the bank.

"This is amazing. I have visited many pavilions at the fair but I haven't see anything like this in other pavilions or stalls," said Sumona. "I just wanted to pay a visit to the fair but in the meantime I also learn the requirements for opening a school student savings account. It helped me a lot."  

Sumona is not alone. Many visitors were seen at IBBL's premier pavilion on Friday. The attractive pavilion and the information services there draw a large crowd every day.

Abu Reza Md Yeahia, deputy managing director of IBBL, on Friday told The Business Standard, "The theme of this year's pavilion decor is to portray the whole of Bangladesh and our contribution to it."

"We actually tried to show how we are contributing to different sectors including industries, health and education across the country," he added.   

He said they are expecting to become the most attractive pavilion in the fair.

This year the pavilion has one Cash Recycler Machine, one IBBL Deposit Machine and one ATM booth.

IBBL has been among the world's top 1,000 banks for the last eight consecutive years. It was in 943rd position in 2019, as rated by the UK-based financial magazine `The Banker' in consideration of strength, size, performance, soundness and return on assets.

This is why this year we have this legend inscribed above our pavilion's entrance, said another official of the bank.

IBBL is now serving 14 million clients through its 347 branches, 700 agent banking outlets and banking booths with a deposit portfolio of $10,590 million and investment portfolio of $10,355 million.

IBBL handles the highest foreign trade of the Bangladesh economy –import $3,038 million, export $1,860 million and remittance $2,310 million with a market share of 9 percent, 8 percent and 21 percent respectively as of August 2019.  

IBBL is the highest remittance collecting bank in Bangladesh. It has been doing its banking business with consistency, and with national development policies that prioritise industrialisation, trade and manufacturing industries as well as the service sector.

Over 36 years, IBBL has materialised its commitment to all stakeholders, and has become highly professional and most compliant. It is the strongest bank in Bangladesh.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL), the first generation private commercial bank of the country, was established with the mission of introducing a welfare oriented banking system.

The bank started operations on March 30, 1983 with 10 percent share of the government and with a considerable amount of foreign and local shares.