Deposits in bank accounts held by marginalised individuals saw a slight increase in March compared with December, according to Bangladesh Bank鈥檚 quarterly report.
Deposits in these accounts rose to Tk聽4,888 crore in March from Tk聽4,685 crore in December.
These accounts, introduced under the central bank鈥檚 financial inclusion programme, allow financially disadvantaged individuals to open accounts with a minimal deposit of Tk聽10, Tk聽50, or Tk聽100, which is called non-frill accounts.
The initiative aims to extend basic banking services to underserved populations, including farmers, garment workers, extremely poor individuals, and beneficiaries of social safety net programmes.
The number of non-frill accounts stood at 2.82 crore in March.
Additionally, students under 18 years of age can open accounts with an initial deposit of Tk聽100, encouraging financial literacy and savings habits from a young age. These accounts are free of maintenance charges, making them accessible to the underprivileged.
Bankers attributed the slight rise in deposits to increased government disbursements of subsidies and salaries.
Up to December 2024, the government distributed more than Tk聽777 crore in subsidies and salaries to 70,87,495 borrower accounts held by marginalised individuals under a Tk聽750 crore revolving refinance scheme. This financial support has helped maintain some level of financial stability for these account holders, BB report said.
Despite this, deposits in non-frill accounts did not see a significant surge due to persistently high living costs driven by inflation.
Inflation, which stood at 10.89 per cent in December, eased slightly to 9.6 per cent in April and 9.7 per cent in March 2025. However, it has remained above 9 per cent since March 2023.
Additionally, the continued devaluation of the local currency has compelled many to keep more cash on hand to meet rising expenses for daily essentials.
The total number of accounts held by extremely poor individuals rose slightly to 33.41 lakh in March from 33.26 lakh in December.
Non-frill accounts also play a crucial role in the distribution of foreign inward remittances.
The cumulative amount of remittances received through these accounts grew by 0.65 per cent, reaching Tk聽777 crore in March from Tk聽772 crore in December.
The report also noted that 51,356 new school banking accounts were opened during the quarter, promoting savings habits among students.
Moreover, as of March, 19 banks, in collaboration with 53 NGOs, have opened 39,170 accounts for street children.
The total deposits in these accounts reached Tk聽40 lakh by the end of the reporting quarter, reflecting efforts to provide financial inclusion for vulnerable children.
