Country's leading scheduled bank, the Sonali Bank has given a new package to attract expatriate Bangladeshi workers to use authorised means of money transfer to their families in Bangladesh.

The bank, which so far was the first choice of the Non Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) for remitting money to their families at home, received about Taka 4,000 crore in foreign currencies last year from the NRBs.

The Sonali Bank during the five months of the current fiscal received Taka 3900 crore in foreign currencies as remittances from the expatriate workers.

A highly placed source in Sonali Bank said that with the new incen-

tives given in the new package for remittance, they expected more NRBs to use their services. This will also substantially reduce the use of illegal means for remittance including through "Hundi," he observed.

Under the new package, the Sonali Bank will ensure transfer of remitted money to the receivers within three days anywhere in Bangladesh and by 24 hours in the city areas of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

The bank has also set up a Foreign Remittance Cell at its head office for quick dispensation of any complain and provide advice to the clients in this regards.

Under the new incentive package an NRB remitting money to Bangladesh will now have to pay US dollars 5, 10 and 15 for slab up to

500 dollars, 1000 dollars and 1001 and above respectively. The previous bank commission was 10, 15 and 20 to 50 dollars respectively according to the slabs.

The Sonali Bank will operate the remittance from abroad through its subsidiaries and representatives office in USA and UK and its associated Exchange Houses and Banks in Middle Eastern countries and Malaysia.

The country received over Taka 10,000 crore in foreign currency as remittance from expatriate Bangladeshi workers this year through authorised means of money transfer. With the new measures taken by the government, more remittance this year through the authorised channel is expected.