An intensive two-day workshop titled “Bancassurance in Bangladesh: Regulatory, Operational & Sales Readiness” has concluded at the University of Dhaka. The educational event aimed to bridge the operational gap between the banking and insurance sectors, establish a robust framework for customer-centric financial products, and upgrade the professional capacity of corporate officers overseeing these joint ventures.
The workshop was jointly organised by the Master of Professional Banking (MPB) Programme of the Department of Banking and Insurance, under the Faculty of Business Studies, University of Dhaka, and the Bankers Club of Bangladesh Limited. Sessions took place from 10 to 11 July at the Professor Dr Abdullah Farouk Multipurpose Hall, situated within the university complex.
The opening ceremony commenced on Friday afternoon, drawing notable figures from academics and financial institutions. Professor Dr Mahmood Osman Imam, Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies at the University of Dhaka, attended the event as the Chief Guest. Addressing the cohort, he spoke about the potential of utilising existing retail banking networks to improve the historically low insurance penetration rate in Bangladesh. Professor Dr Shahidul Islam Zahid, Chairman of the Department of Banking and Insurance, and Professor Dr Md Main Uddin shared insights as the Special Guest and Guest of Honour, respectively.
Other key figures present included Md Rashed Akter, President of the Bankers Club of Bangladesh Limited; Professor Dr Abdullah Al Mahmud, Coordinator of the MPB Programme; and Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman (Aryan), the Learning Development Secretary of the Bankers Club of Bangladesh Limited. Speakers collectively emphasised that bancassurance—the arrangement between a bank and an insurance company allowing the latter to sell its products to the bank’s client base—serves as a crucial vehicle for driving deeper financial inclusion across the country.
The core curriculum of the training programme was divided into eight specialized technical modules spread over forty-eight hours. The initial day concentrated on the structural architecture of the domestic market. Discussions navigated the regulatory guidelines jointly formulated by the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) and Bangladesh Bank. Experts explored partnership models, legal agreement structuring, and the complex process of tailoring risk-mitigation products to distinct retail banking demographics.
The subsequent day shifted focus toward implementation and day-to-day operations. Panellists addressed technology integration between disparate banking and insurance software systems, alongside the enforcement of strict Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering regulations. Significant time was dedicated to practical matters, including automated premium collection systems, claims settlement processing, risk management protocols, and consumer protection measures designed to eliminate the mis-selling of policies by bank employees.
Lectures were delivered by a diverse panel comprising senior university faculty, central bank officials, and veteran insurance executives. Among the lead facilitators were Professor Dr Md Main Uddin, Mohammad Ashfaqur Rahman, S. M. Ibrahim Hossain, Shubasish Barua, Mohammad Mahbub Hossain, Professor Dr Hasina Sheykh, Md Rashed Akter, and Subir Kumar Kundu.
To ensure the knowledge transfer extended beyond theoretical concepts, the organizers incorporated interactive components. Participants engaged in country-specific case studies, simulation role-play exercises, regulatory document audits, and competitive group presentations. Attendees were also equipped with physical toolkits, including a standardized Bancassurance Launch Checklist, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboard template, and a product suitability matrix designed for immediate deployment in their respective institutions. Successful candidates are scheduled to receive their formal certificates of completion at a dedicated ceremony on 17 July 2026.