9 banks join Brac pandemic campaign

A total of nine private banks have joined Brac to provide cash support and healthcare services across Bangladesh during the pandemic's new wave. 

The nine are Brac Bank, Eastern Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, Standard Bank, Dhaka Bank, Bank Asia, Mercantile Bank, United Commercial Bank and Dutch Bangla Bank, says a press release.

The lenders have committed Tk 159,193,728.

Of it, Tk 135,740,500 will be delivered as cash support to 72,160 families under a "Dakcche Abar Desh" project.

The rest will be used to provide masks and other Covid-preventive services to 18 lakh (1.8 million) people and reach healthcare services to 10,000 patients with Covid symptoms under a Community Fort for Resisting Covid-19 project.

Particular focus will be on 20 districts with the highest rate of Covid spread, mostly in Rajshahi and Khulna divisions.

Bangladesh Bank has instructed banks to launch special corporate social responsibility activities amidst a spike in Covid-19 cases last month.