Katharagama recently welcomed the first private commercial bank to venture into the Sacred City, with the opening of Hatton National Bank’s 171st Customer Centre. The Customer Centre  was declared open on the 16th of June by the Chairman of the Bank, Mr.Rienzie T Wijetilleke.

Kataragama, a popular pilgrimage destination frequented by adherents of all religions in Sri Lanka has today a network of hotels, guest houses, as well as, free pilgrim rests, but is an area that has not yet embraced urbanization. This is probably the reason why most private commercial banks have thus far shied away from taking their services to the locality.

“HNB attributes much of its fame to being the only private commercial bank in Sri Lanka that has dared to venture upon unprofitable ground, when no other bank would,” says Mr.Rienzie T Wijetilleka. “This is not our first advance into rural territory; the Bank has a world of experience in taking banking services to the rural masses by way of the Gami Pubuduwa Programme. The new branch in Kataragama is, however, a fully-fledged customer centre that is ready to provide the locals with a complete range of banking services.” Mr.Wijetilleka also commented that this venture would not only bring new possibilities to the farmers of the area, it would help improve the lifestyles of the people of Katharagama too.

Today, HNB provides its expertise and services through 170 Customer Centre  across the island. It is also the only bank to have not forgotten the more rural villages, taking banking to the provincial areas too, when for the first time in the commercial banking history of Sri Lanka, the Bank introduced a barefoot banker named ‘Gami Pupuduwa Upadeshaka’ through its Gami Pubuduwa Village Awakening Programme.

Hatton National Bank is well-accomplished in the sphere of corporate finance and facilities such as Housing Loans, Savings & Current Accounts, Fixed Deposits, NRFC/RFC Accounts, Children’s Savings Accounts, Credit Cards, Trade Finance etc. The Bank’s loan portfolio includes Industrial Loans, GP Loans, Working Capital, Short-term loans, Medium and Long-term Loans,. Continuing to uphold the No.1 position among banks in leasing, HNB drives on the cutting-edge of technology with an island wide ATM network, online banking and tele banking facilities.

Pic Chief Guest Mr.Rienzie T Wijetilleka, Chairman of the HNB PLC, accepting the first deposit from Mr Padmasiri Rajapaksha