From 7th-9th April 2017, BNI Syariah participated in the iB Vaganza Fair in Medan, organised by the Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK). This annual event aimed to introduce current and new shariah-compliant banking products and services as well as to foster better synergies between Islamic banks and local governments through various forms of cooperation from SME financing to the payment of zakat. BNI Syariah took the opportunity to introduce its latest Baitullah iB Hasanah savings account for elementary school children in order to encourage children to start planning and saving for pilgrimage.
Present at the fair included Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the OJK Mr Muliaman Hadad, Governor of North Sumatra province Mr Tengku Erry Nuradi, and Mr Abdullah Firman Wibowo as President Director of BNI Syariah amongst other prominent figures from Indonesia's Islamic banking industry. As a bank that first introduced the Hajj and Umrah Card in 2016 to better facilitate the transactional needs of Indonesia pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, the introduction of the iB Baitullah Hasanah Card for children is part of the bank’s long-term strategy to promote modern shariah banking products and services to young customers; as of December 2016, the number of iB Baitullah Hasanah account holders reached 420,688 thus accumulating to 971 billion IDR in funds.
In the coming years, the number of Indonesians travelling to Saudi Arabia is expected to increase in keeping with development projects taking place in Mecca and Medina; this undertaking will thus allow for a higher intake quota of hajj pilgrims. As such, BNI Syariah stands at the forefront of the Islamic banking industry's advancement through the introduction of innovative products as well as by upholding the core value of 'Hasanah '.
For further information regarding the latest developments at BNI Syariah, please visit its corporate website.