Bangladesh’s agent banking sector continued its steady expansion in the first quarter of 2026, with deposit and loan disbursement witnessing over 14 per cent growth.

According to a Bangladesh Bank report, deposit balances crossing Tk 50,562 crore and outstanding loans reaching Tk 11,906 crore by the end of March — reflecting year-on-year growth of 18.6 per cent and 13.7 per cent respectively.

The figures paint a picture of a financial inclusion channel that is deepening its roots across the country, particularly in rural communities that conventional banking has long struggled to serve.

Agent banking operates through third-party individuals or businesses — known as agents — who are authorised by scheduled banks to provide basic banking services at fixed physical locations called outlets.

These services include opening deposit accounts, disbursing and collecting loans, processing remittances, and handling utility payments.

As of March 2026, thirty scheduled banks were operating through 20,339 active outlets managed by 15,184 agents, with an overwhelming 85.4 per cent of those outlets located in rural areas.

The rural-to-urban outlet ratio is 6:1, nearly double the mandated minimum of 3:1.

On the deposit side, total accounts stood at 26,464,203, comprising of 4,081,099 urban accounts and 22,383,104 rural accounts.

Urban deposit accounts grew at a faster clip of 13.7 per cent year-on-year, though rural accounts still dominate in absolute numbers.

Total deposit balances rose from Tk 42,633 crore in March 2025, with rural balances leading at Tk 41,695 crore compared to urban balances of Tk 8,867 crore.

The loan portfolio demonstrated equally encouraging momentum.

Total loan accounts number is 2,40,286.

Outstanding loans rose from Tk 10,467 crore in a year earlier to Tk 11,906 crore, with rural outstanding at Tk 7,519 crore and urban at Tk 4,386 crore.  Sylhet division stood out with a remarkable 23.5 per cent annual growth in loan outstanding.

Agent banking loans cover several categories including agriculture and rural credit, cottage and small enterprise financing, personal loans, and secured overdraft facilities — making formal credit accessible to farmers, small traders, and low-income households who would otherwise rely on informal lenders.

A total of 25,267,129 transactions worth Tk 1,42,623 crore were recorded during the quarter — a 7.4 per cent decline in transaction numbers year-on-year.

Inward remittances through agent banking reached Tk 8,959 crore, representing 7.4 per cent of total national inward remittances, with rural areas receiving 9.8 times more remittance than urban outlets.

Female participation continued its upward trend, with 49.7 per cent of all deposit accounts now held by women and female-owned agencies, which is very close to the 50 per cent target set by Bangladesh Bank.