Krishi loan app brings awards for Jasim Uddin

Jasim Uddin. Prothom Alo File Photo
Jasim Uddin. Prothom Alo File Photo

The branch manager of Agrani Bank in Hathazari, Jasim Uddin, has created a mobile app ‘Simplification of Krishi and Palli Loan’, for hassle free agricultiral and rural loan application by farmers.

Jasim Uddin noticed saw the hassle faced by farmers while applying for loans that motivated him how inventing the software application in 2016.

The software and mobile app has brought him much recognition, including the upazila award and it has now become the model for farmers’ loans.

Following Jasim’s invention, Agrani Bank has signed an agreement with the prime minister’s office’s A2i project for simplifying loan facilities for farmers.

Jasim Uddin has been made the founder director of the project. The project has been implemented in all branches of government banks and two branches of each private bank.

Agrani Bank authorities appointed Jasim Uddin as the CEO of Agrani Remittance House in Canada.

“Jasim’s software is being used as the model for simplifying farmers’ loan in various banks by Bangladesh Bank. It will make the process for loan easy and will be more agriculture friendly,” says the managing director Mohammad Shams-Ul Islam.

How it works

The web address for Jasim’s app is: www.onlinekrishi.gov.bd. The applicant has to download the app first. Using the app or on the homepage of the Union Digital centre (UDG), he can register on the website with his National Identity Card and mobile phone number.

The registration will be completed with filing an activation number sent to the mobile number. The farmer can update his profile and information by clicking on enter button.

The applicant now can fill the form for loan with necessary information and mention the nearest bank along with the information of two guarantors. He has to provide scanned copies of necessary documents and click enter.

He will receive an sms of whether the loan application has been approved or not. He will collect the money later from the bank. The process will cost 50 taka.

The application will be verified by the officials of upazila agriculture, fisheries and livestock. The loan officer in the bank will verify if the applicant is eligible for the loan and the branch manager will approve at the final round.

As many as 1,100 farmers have registered for loans through the app so far of which 630 farmers applied for loan. Some 525 farmers’ loans of 30 million taka were granted.

“The loan process is easier now. UDC is here to help the farmers. All the banks are asked to adopt the procedure. As many as 21 banks adopted the process so far.

A farmer Abdul Hamid who received loan using the app has expressed his satisfaction. “It was hassle free. It was much difficult earlier,” he said.

Background

Jasim Uddin is from Raozan upazila in Chattogram. He started working as a computer teacher in Noapara High School in Raozan in 2005.
He joined as an IT officer at Agrani Bank after a year. He was appointed as the branch manager of Hathazari branch of Agrani Bank in 2015 where he created the software.

“I was the member secretary of the loan distributing committee. The data for lead banking were used to present manually in papers at the monthly meeting of the committee, “ Jasim told Prothom Alo.

“Then i created a software to make presentations. Later I created the software for simplifying loans and exhibited it to the innovation fair in Hathazari in 2017. It won the best prize at the time,” he added.

Recognitions

Jasim finds it the best recognition and award for his invention to be incorporated as A2i project. Besides, Agrani Bank bangladesh Ltd rewarded him with a certificate and 50 thousand taka in 2017.

Also, he received the award for best innovation at upazila level in the same year.

The ‘Simplification of Krishi and Polli Loan’ software was filed for United Nations World Summit Awards (WSA) along with six other projects from Bangladesh. Jasim Uddin received a certificate for this software.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat.