Dhaka: An initiative for students to receive their stipends via mobile banking was launched in the capital on Sunday.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid formally inaugurated the initiative at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium, from where students of Patgram Hujur Uddin Govt. Girls High School in Lalmonirhat were sent their stipend money through video conferencing.

The stipend money is being sent to the poor and meritorious students through Agrani Bank Limited and bKash under the Secondary Education Sector Investment Progarmme (SESIP) of the government.

Chaired by director general of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Directorate Dr SM Wahiduzzman, the event was addressed, among others, by secretary of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Division Md Sohrab Hossain, ADB acting country director Cai Li, SESIP joint programme director Abu Syeed Sheikh, Agrani Bank managing director Ismail Hossain and bKash chief executive officer Kamal Kader.

Speaking on the occasion, Nahid said the government is providing stipend among students across the country under different progammes while students of 54 upazilas of 17 districts will get stipends under the SESIP.