Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Three private commercial banks (PCBs) on Thursday reimbursed the affected cardholders, whose money was stolen by cyber criminals in the recent ATM (automated teller machine) card forgery.
The PCBs are Eastern Bank Limited (EBL), United Commercial Bank (UCB) Limited and Mutual Trust Bank Limited (MTBL).
The banks paid compensation worth BDT 19.19 million to their 32 cardholders, according to the central bank officials.
Of the payment, EBL provided BDT 17.53 million to its 24 clients, UCB BDT 1.26 million to seven cardholders, and MTBL provided BDT 40,000 as compensation to one client.
“The PCBs have made their payments by transferring cash to these clients’ respective accounts in accordance with their commitment on Wednesday’s meeting,” a senior official of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) told BBN in Dhaka.
Earlier on Wednesday, the central bank met with senior officials of 49 NPSB () member banks to review the overall situation on ATM booths and POS (point of sale) securities features.
The City Bank Limited is yet to clear payment worth BDT 1.40 million to its four cardholders. But the PCB officials confirmed of paying the compensation within the next working day.
“The City Bank is now working to clear the compensation to our affected clients on Monday,” S M Mashrur Arefin, additional managing director (AMD) of the bank, said.
Earlier this week, the digital scam shocked the country after activities of the card skimmer frauds were found at six ATM booths of three PCBs.
Following the sensitive ATM card heist, the central bank found that they cloned around 1,200 debit cards. It prompted BB to issue an emergency instruction for all banks to set a uniform electronic transaction ceiling to combat such crimes.
In the compensation handing over ceremony, arranged by EBL at the central bank headquarters, BB deputy governor Nazneen Sultana said the clients’ caution and BB’s instant measures helped the banking sector avert a possible massive disaster.
She, however, emphasised using latest technology in the banking channel to ensure risk-free and smarter service delivery.
BB executive director Subhankar Saha, EBL AMD Hassan O Rashid, head of consumer banking Nazeem A Choudhury, and head of communication Ziaul Karim were present on the occasion, among others.
BBN/SSR/AD