Amsterdam, June 3, 2013–Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, is providing its smart card based solution to Dipon Consultancy Services Limited (DCSL) for their financial inclusion project in Bangladesh. DCSL is implementing this project in collaboration with Prime Bank Limited (PBL). The program named Prime Cash which represents over 76% of the country’s 150 million-population¹ aims to provide secure access to banking services for people with limited or no access to banking services in both rural and urban areas in Bangladesh.

In its effort to foster financial inclusion, DCSL has deployed DG-ePay (Dipon Group-ePay) Service Points at major public places throughout the country. End users can enroll themselves and open an account at any of the DG-ePay Service Points. The Gemalto smart cards contain an embedded software application that securely stores the holder’s facial image and fingerprint data captured upon enrollment. End user transactions are validated using biometric authentication, providing a superior level of convenience and security to all, including illiterate users. The Gemalto solution facilitates daily life financial services, such as account opening, deposit, withdrawal, transfer, loan repayment and remittances. DCSL has already delivered 200,000 cards to end users.

“Gemalto’s solution is the perfect fit for our market, where the literacy rate is less than 60%², enabling users to authenticate themselves in a fast, intuitive and highly secure manner,” said Syed Javed Iqbal, Director, Dipon Consultancy Services. “We believe Gemalto’s smart card technology will go a long way in the spread of financial services to the remote corners of our country, contributing to enhancing the Digital Bangladesh campaign.”

“This is a great example of how digital security can benefit a developing market and bring essential financial services to the world’s under-banked,” added Suzanne Tong-Li, Senior Vice President, Gemalto Asia. “Bangladesh is one of the fastest developing markets for branchless-banking in the world and we look forward to accompanying Prime Cash Project in their journey towards Digital Bangladesh.”

Gemalto has delivered this solution through its partner Instrumental Clique (IC), a sister concern of DCSL. IC has a market share of around 40% for supply of bank cards in Bangladesh. In its efforts to provide access to banking for the unbanked, Gemalto has already rolled out over ten million smart cards in India for microfinance. Gemalto offers these customized solutions to micro finance partners, banks and non-government organizations.

¹ World Bank data
² Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics

Additional information

Digital Bangladesh by 2021 vision proposes to mainstream ICTs as a pro-poor tool to eradicate poverty, establish good governance, ensure social equity through quality education, healthcare and law enforcement for all, and prepare the people for climate change.

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with 2012 annual revenues of €2.2 billion and more than 10,000 employees operating out of 83 offices and 13 Research & Development centers, located in 43 countries.

We are at the heart of the rapidly evolving digital society. Billions of people worldwide increasingly want the freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain and work–anytime, everywhere–in ways that are enjoyable and safe. Gemalto delivers on their expanding needs for personal mobile services, payment security, authenticated cloud access, identity and privacy protection, eHealthcare and eGovernment efficiency, convenient ticketing and dependable machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. We develop secure embedded software and secure products which we design and personalize. Our platforms and services manage these products, the confidential data they contain and the trusted end-user services made possible.

Our innovations enable our clients to offer trusted and convenient digital services to billions of individuals. Gemalto thrives with the growing number of people using its solutions to interact with the digital and wireless world.

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