Bank Asia officially launched its mobile banking initiative made possible by AlertPay online payment services on March 15, 2012, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Top officials from the country banking sector and from the government gathered to learn how the Bank Asia-AlertPay partnership will bolster the economy by providing Bangladeshi freelance IT workers with the ability to receive international payments, conveniently and affordably, directly transferred into their local bank accounts.



Bangladesh Bank Governor, Dr Atiur Rahman, at the official launch - March 15, 2012 Anir Chowdhury, policy advisor to the Prime Minister Office, explained that close to 10,000 IT freelancers in the country, earning up to $8M a year, have not had a convenient and cost effective way to receive international payments locally. With AlertPay new local bank transfer withdrawal services, Mr. Chowdhury stated that AlertPay will revolutionize e-commerce in Bangladesh.

The Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Dr. Aitur Rahman, inaugurated the event. Thanks to Bangladesh Bank initiative, BEFTN (Bangladesh Electronic Funds Transfer Network) enables Bangladeshis to transfer their money to any branch of any bank in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Bank is working to build up an IT-based modern banking system to restore stability in the banking sector, Dr. Rahman explained.

Bank Asia chairman, A. Rouf Chowdhury further detailed the effect the bank mobile initiative and AlertPay services will have on the country. We are working relentlessly to reach the banking services to the doorsteps of the people countrywide as 85 percent of the total population is out of bank service. How much will profit is not the main objective of the bank. We really want to take services to the people,he explained.

Md Mehmood Husain, President and Managing Director of Bank Asia, stated that the bank partnership with AlertPay will deliver the easiest and most affordable global bank transfer withdrawals ever available to Bangladeshis. We hope that this [initiative] will help induce the potential freelancers to work earnestly and encourage other talents to venture for such freelancing, thereby increasing the inflow of foreign remittance [into the country],Husain explained.