Deposits in bank accounts held by marginalised individuals recorded a modest increase in June 2025 compared with that in the same month a year earlier, according to Bangladesh Bank鈥檚 latest quarterly report.
Deposits in these accounts, known as non-frill accounts, stood at Tk 5,036 crore in June, up 6.68 per cent from that of Tk 4,721 crore in June 2024.
Balances also rose slightly from Tk 4,888 crore in March and Tk 4,685 crore in December 2024, reflecting steady growth.
Non-frill accounts were introduced under the central bank鈥檚 financial inclusion programme to bring underserved groups into the formal banking system.
Farmers, garment workers, extremely poor households and recipients of social safety net benefits are eligible to open such accounts with a minimum initial deposit of Tk 10, Tk 50, or Tk 100.
These accounts carry no maintenance charges, keeping them accessible to low-income groups.
The number of non-frill accounts rose to 2.87 crore in June from 2.77 crore a year earlier.
Students under 18 can also open accounts with Tk 100, helping encourage financial literacy and savings from an early age.
Bankers attributed the increase in deposits to government disbursements of subsidies and salaries under special support schemes.
Up to June 2025, more than Tk 828 crore was distributed to 96,683 borrower accounts under a Tk 750-crore revolving refinance scheme, according to the BB report.
BB officials said that such support had provided some financial stability to account holders despite broader economic stress.
Still, deposits did not grow significantly because high inflation kept living costs elevated.
Inflation, which peaked at 10.89 per cent in December 2024, eased to 8.53 per cent in July 2025 but remained burdensome for low-income groups.
Many households were compelled to hold cash to meet rising daily expenses rather than save in banks.
Accounts held by extremely poor individuals in particular rose only slightly, from 33.12 lakh in June 2024 to 33.75 lakh a year later.
Non-frill accounts have also become an important channel for foreign remittances.
Inward remittances through these accounts grew by 2.91 per cent, reaching Tk 800 crore in June from Tk 777 crore in March.
The financial inclusion initiative is also expanded to children and students.
During the April-June quarter, 95,763 new school banking accounts were opened, while 20 banks opened 39,638 accounts for street and working children.
Deposits in these children鈥檚 accounts reached Tk 41 lakh by the end of June, underscoring ongoing efforts to integrate vulnerable groups into the banking system.
