DHAKA, Dec 27 (BSS) – The country’s scheduled banks will be able to get credit reports of their clients online from the Credit Information Bureau (CIB) from mid 2010.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman made this announcement today at a workshop on “Economics of Integrating Access to Finance and Access to Information: Bangladesh Perspective”, organized by Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) in the city.

BIBM researcher Dr Shah Md Ahsan Habib presented the keynote paper on the issue, highlighting the necessity of the access to financial information and suggesting some measures to provide people with basic banking services.

Commenting on the paper, the governor also emphasized on improving the system for information dissemination and ensuring basic banking services to all.

He referred to the recent activities of the central bank to digitalize its services and facilitate the banking sector electronic and online services.

The governor also cited the initiative of making mobile phones as a tool for bringing more people under institutional financial services.

He observed that the banks, micro-finance institutions and mobile phone companies could build a tri-party relation to render better financial services especially to the rural people.

He said a large number of people were still not getting the basic banking and financial services despite the significant development of banking sectors and extension of activities of the microfinance institutions.

“Basic banking services including deposit, payment and credit services are recognized as entitlements of all citizens,” Atiur said.

The governor, however, said that central bank had taken effective initiatives to bring all eligible people under necessary banking and financial services.