With only a week left for Bangla New Year Celebration, banks and mobile financial services have offered an array of packages and discounts for the shoppers
To pocket the clients, they brought new packages on the use of credit or debit cards include discounts, cashback, buy-one-get-one-free offer on fashion and lifestyle brands and foods at restaurants.
Like every year, the Nation is preparing to greet the Bangla calendar year 1426 -- Pohela Boisakh, which falls on April 14.
From Apr 1, most of the banks are offering discount from 10 percent to 60 percent on shopping with credit and debit cards.
In addition to new packages and offer, banks also eye on promoting digital banking ahead of the Bangla New Year celebration.
City Bank, which has the highest number of card clients — one million (credit and debit) — in the country, has offered savings packages at certain retail outlets, dining, online shops, and buy-one-get-one-free buffet till Apr 15.
Like every year City Bank has an array of offers for its American Express card members, cards division head Masudul Haque Bhuian told the English daily.
The American Express Card members will enjoy up to 35 percent savings at 40+ retail merchants, up to 20 percent savings at 30+ dining outlets and up to 20 percent savings at nine e-commerce sites of Bangladesh, he details.
The bank’s clients will enjoy buy-one-get-one-free offers at nine top restaurants.
Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) has offered up to 40 percent price cut for credit cardholders at as many as 40 popular fashion stores and buy-one-get-one-free buffet offer at another 30 hotels and restaurants -- valid till Apr 14.
“We are offering various packages and discounts every year ahead of Pohela Boishakh as well as others festivities to promote digital banking,” Mohammad Anwar Hossain, head of MTB’s card division told English daily the Dhaka Tribune.
Prime Bank has offered a buy-one-get-one-free buffet offer at 7 top restaurants, 10 percent price cut at 13 restaurants and 10 percent to 20 percent discount at 24 lifestyle brands till 14 April.
Southeast Bank has accounted up to 60 percent price cut for credit cardholders at 34 popular fashion house and buy-one-get-one-free free buffet offer at eight hotels and restaurants.
The bank also offers 10 percent cashback available on April 5, 12 and 14 in super shops, says Abdus Sabur Khan, head of the card division of Southeast Bank.
Standard Chartered has offered 10 percent to 25 percent discount on purchases at a host of clothing, jewelry, perfume and shoe stores, and beauty salons.
bKash, the largest mobile financial services provider in the country, has offered up to 20 percent cash back for its customers in the purchase of garments, jewelry, shoes, bags, house-making products, and goods. The offer, which began on April 1, is valid until Apr 14.
According to the Bangladesh Bank latest data, the number of debit, credit and pre-paid cards increased by about 24 percent, compared to 2017.
As of December 2018, the number of cards stood at 15.7 million. Of them, 14.3 million are debit cards, 1.18 million credit cards, and 210,000 pre-paid cards.
