Arab Bangladesh Bank Limited (AB Bank Limited) the first joint venture private sector bank. It was incorporated in Bangladesh on 31 December 1981 and started its operation with effect from 12 April 1982 with 200 million and 85 million Tk. as authorized and paid-up capital respectively. The bank renamed itself as AB Bank Limited and Bangladesh Bank approved it on 14 November 2007. As at the end of 2020 its authorized and paid-up capital and reserve fund stood at Tk. 15000 million, Tk. 7960 million and Tk. 16527 million respectively. In December 2020 the bank had 105 branches and a total of 2202 employees including 2047 officers.
A 5-member board of directors including the chairman governs the overall affairs of the bank. The chief executive of the bank is its managing director and president who is assisted by two additional managing directors and two deputy managing directors. The bank is listed with both Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchange.
AB Bank Limited has opened one foreign branch in Mumbai and also established a wholly owned Subsidiary Finance Company in Hong Kong in the name of AB International Finance Limited.
AB Bank Limited operates small and medium enterprise (SME) credit, women’s entrepreneurship, consumer loans, debit and credit cards (local & international), ATMs, Internet and SMS banking, remittance, deposit mobilization, servicing import and export, investment, treasury products and services, corporate finance, Islamic banking, specialized products and services for NRBs, priority banking, and customer care.
Basic facts and Economic Indicators (In Million Taka).
| Indicators | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Authorized Capital | 15000 | 15000 | 15000 |
| Paid up Capital | 7581 | 7581 | 7960 |
| Reserved Fund | 15069 | 15296 | 16527 |
| Deposits | 235444 | 279458 | 290719 |
| a) Call Deposits | 28396 | 31464 | 38235 |
| b) Term Deposits | 207049 | 247994 | 252484 |
| Loans and Advances | 241070 | 256513 | 274830 |
| Investment | 53594 | 61579 | 63437 |
| Total Asset | 322526 | 364712 | 385763 |
| Total Income | 8648 | 12884 | 12146 |
| Total Expenditure | 5573 | 6433 | 5678 |
| Foreign Currency Trading | 190767 | 134349 | 97653 |
| a) Export | 73450 | 64024 | 46796 |
| b) Import | 89630 | 47370 | 32647 |
| c) Remittance | 27687 | 22955 | 18209 |
| Total Manpower | 2310 | 2210 | 2202 |
| a) Officers | 2140 | 2045 | 2047 |
| b) Staff | 170 | 165 | 155 |
| Correspondent Banks | 392 | 371 | 334 |
| Total Branches (in numbers) | 105 | 105 | 105 |
| a) Domestic | 104 | 104 | 104 |
| b) Overseas | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Agriculture Credit | |||
| Loan Disbursed | 2998.1 | 1583 | 1490.4 |
| Realised | 1568 | 3148 | 1775 |
| Industrial Credit | |||
| Loan Disbursed | 35423 | 25911 | 14646 |
| Realsied | 34659 | 29248 | 11457 |
| Loan Outstanding by Sector | |||
| Agriculture and Fisheries and Forestry | 4338 | 2966 | 3294 |
| Industry | 80835 | 99756 | 103398 |
| Trade and Commerce | 41253 | 64391 | 73022 |
| Poverty Reduction | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| CSR | 172 | 39 | 170 |
Source Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Finance, Banking and Financial Institution Division, Barshik Protibedon [Annual Report on Banks and Financial Institutions], 2019-20 and 2020-21.
AB Bank Limited launched the new logo on the 25th anniversary of its birth. It represents sheetal pati of Bangladesh as it reflects the bonding with the bank’s clientele and fulfilling their every need. AB Bank has reached its current stage after passing through so many changes during the last 39 years. [Muhammad Abdul Mazid]
