State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim on Thursday said the government wants to introduce a ‘post office bank’ to incorporate banking in the ‘e-commerce’ services of Bangladesh Post Office.

Talking to reporters after a meeting at the General Post Office (GPO) in the city, she revealed that it is her plan to expand the ‘e- commerce banking’ through 10,000 post offices, provided the Finance Ministry approves it.

“There’ll be a meeting with the Finance Minister on June 26 next. Discussion on approval for initiating these banks will be held in the meeting,” she said, adding that she would request the Finance Minister to approve the post office banking.

She also noted that post offices can easily launch micro-credit programmes using its FDR (fixed deposit receipt), and it will help take the micro-credit service to the hard to reach areas.

“We have about 9,886 post offices. Post offices have reached the hard to reach areas. It’s impossible to imagine for any (organisation) in the private sector,” she added.

The junior minister expressed her strong belief that the postal department will no longer remain neglected and it will turn back soon.