Janata Bank PLC UAE Review
Best Bank for Bangladeshi Expats in the UAE?
Editor’s Verdict for Janata Bank PLC
Janata Bank PLC is a Bangladesh state-owned commercial bank that has served the UAE’s Bangladeshi community since the 1970s. Restructured as a public limited company in 2007 and rebranded from “Janata Bank Limited” to “Janata Bank PLC” on 8 August 2023 (per Bangladesh Bank notification), it operates four branches across the Emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Al Ain – functioning primarily as a remittance and trade-finance channel between the UAE and Bangladesh. Unlike full-service UAE retail banks, Janata Bank’s UAE operation is purpose-built for one job: moving money home safely, cheaply and fast.
✓ Best For
- Bangladeshi expatriates in the UAE sending regular remittances to family in Bangladesh
- Workers who prefer in-branch counter service over app-only digital banks
- Customers needing Taka drafts, TT (Telegraphic Transfer) and direct credit to any Janata Bank branch in Bangladesh
- Importers and traders running UAE-Bangladesh trade flows who need an LC-issuing correspondent
- NRB (Non-Resident Bangladeshi) customers wanting access to Wage Earner bonds and dollar investment schemes
✗ Not Ideal For
- Customers looking for premium UAE retail products like cashback credit cards or travel rewards
- Anyone who wants a slick mobile-first banking experience with a feature-rich app
- Expatriates of other nationalities whose remittance corridors are better served elsewhere
- Customers needing extensive ATM coverage across all seven emirates
Quick Facts
| Bank Type | State-owned commercial bank (Bangladesh) – UAE Operation |
|---|---|
| Parent Established | 1972 (Bangladesh); UAE operation since the 1970s |
| Corporatisation | Registered as Janata Bank Limited on 21 May 2007; rebranded to Janata Bank PLC on 8 August 2023 |
| UAE Head Office | Ground Floor, Al Saman Tower, Plot C-7, Sector E-8, Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| Branch Network | 4 branches in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain) |
| Primary Focus | Taka remittance, NRB deposit schemes, trade finance |
| Channels | Branch counters, SWIFT, Taka drafts, Telegraphic Transfers |
| Languages Supported | English, Bengali, Arabic, Hindi |
| SWIFT/BIC Code | JANBAEAA (All Janata Bank PLC Swift Codes) |
| UAE Hotline | 600 587 008 |
| General Email | info@janatabank-uae.ae |
| Regulator | Central Bank of the UAE (host); Bangladesh Bank (home) |
💸 Remittance Services
📍 Branch Locator
Janata Bank PLC Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- Bangladesh corridor specialist
Direct credit to any Janata Bank branch in Bangladesh, often faster than third-party exchange houses - Low remittance commissions
Taka draft issuance commission re-fixed to AED 4, well below typical exchange house spreads - State-owned safety
Sovereign backing from the Government of Bangladesh; decades of operating history in the UAE - NRB scheme access
Direct subscription to Wage Earner Development Bond, US Dollar Investment Bond and US Dollar Premium Bond from UAE branches - Branch-based personal service
Bengali-speaking staff and counter-based service appreciated by older customers and blue-collar workers
✗ Cons
- Tiny UAE branch network
Only 4 branches – no presence in Ajman, RAK, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain - No proprietary ATM network
Cash access depends on partner networks; no debit-card ecosystem comparable to UAE retail banks - Limited digital experience
No modern mobile banking app for UAE customers; most transactions require a branch visit - No retail credit cards
Don’t expect cashback, travel rewards or lifestyle perks - Narrow corridor focus
Optimised for AED-BDT flows; less competitive for transfers to India, Philippines, UK or other corridors
Janata Bank PLC Popular Products
Taka Remittance
Flagship Product
Who it’s for: Bangladeshi expatriates sending money home regularly.
Janata Bank’s UAE branches handle three remittance instruments: Taka Drafts (DD), Telegraphic Transfers (TT) over SWIFT and direct account credit to any Janata Bank PLC account in Bangladesh. Commission for Taka draft issuance was re-fixed from AED 10 to AED 4, making it one of the lowest cost AED-BDT channels in the UAE.
Funds credited to a Janata Bank account in Bangladesh typically arrive same-day or next working day. The bank also has arrangements with most major Bangladeshi banks, so beneficiaries don’t need to bank with Janata at home. Documentation is straightforward: valid passport or Emirates ID plus beneficiary bank details.
NRB Deposit Schemes & Bonds
Best for Savers
NRB (Non-Resident Bangladeshi) customers can subscribe to high-yield Bangladesh government instruments directly through Janata Bank’s UAE branches. The available schemes include the Wage Earner Development Bond (WEDB), US Dollar Investment Bond (USDIB) and US Dollar Premium Bond (USDPB).
These instruments are popular because returns are tax-exempt for NRBs and the principal is sovereign-backed. The bank also offers standard Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDR) and Deposit Pension Schemes (DPS) payable in Bangladesh, ideal for long-term planning tied to a return home.
Trade Finance (UAE-Bangladesh Corridor)
For Importers
Who it’s for: UAE-based traders importing from or exporting to Bangladesh.
Janata Bank issues Letters of Credit (LC), handles documentary collections and processes TT payments for the Bangladesh trade corridor. The advantage over a generic UAE bank is local Bangladesh-side execution: the same institution clears the LC on both ends, which often shortens settlement and reduces correspondent bank fees.
For SMEs already running regular UAE-Bangladesh shipments, having Janata as the LC-issuing bank can materially compress turnaround compared with two unrelated correspondent banks.
Current & Savings Accounts
For UAE Residents
Who it’s for: UAE-resident Bangladeshis who want a local AED account at a familiar bank.
Standard current and savings accounts are available across all 4 UAE branches. The pitch isn’t sophisticated retail banking – it’s having an AED account at an institution that can move money to Bangladesh with minimum friction, where the staff speak Bengali and where documentation requirements feel familiar.
Required documents include a valid passport, Emirates ID, UAE residence visa, salary certificate or labour contract and proof of address.
Janata Bank PLC Fees & Charges
Janata Bank UAE publishes a narrower fee schedule than mainstream UAE retail banks. The headline numbers below are confirmed; always ask for a written quote at the counter before any non-trivial transaction.
Digital Experience
Online Channels
Janata Bank’s UAE operation does not currently offer a full-featured retail mobile banking app on par with leading UAE retail banks. The website janatabank-uae.ae publishes daily AED-BDT rates and supports customer enquiries via the hotline 600 587 008 and branch-level mobile numbers.
SWIFT transfers, NRB bond subscriptions, Taka drafts and account opening are processed at the counter. For customers used to UAE retail banking apps, this is the single biggest functional gap.
What works well: Daily TAKA exchange rate published on the official site. Direct phone access to each branch via dedicated manager and assistant manager lines. Bengali-speaking staff at the counter. Established SWIFT operations with their own routing codes per branch.
What frustrates users: No retail mobile banking app available for UAE customers. Most service requests require a physical branch visit. No real-time balance enquiry or self-service transfers between accounts outside the counter.
Website
The website at janatabank-uae.ae acts as an information hub – branch addresses, contact details, service descriptions and current exchange rates. It is not a transactional online banking portal in the modern sense. For account-related actions, the branch counter remains the primary channel.
Janata Bank PLC Contact Information & Support
Customer Service
UAE Hotline
General Email
Abu Dhabi Branch
Dubai Branch
Sharjah Branch
Al Ain Branch
Abu Dhabi Branch — Email
Al Ain Branch — Email
Dubai Branch — Email
Sharjah Branch — Email
UAE Head Office
Ground Floor, Al Saman Tower
Beside Capital Park, Plot C-7, Sector E-8
Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi
P.O. Box 2630
Quick Actions
Janata Bank PLC UAE Branch Network
Janata Bank PLC operates 4 branches in the UAE, concentrated in the emirates with the largest Bangladeshi communities. All branches share the same SWIFT BIC (JANBAEAA) and the central hotline 600 587 008. Each branch has its own routing code used for AED clearing inside the UAE. Addresses below reflect the bank’s current physical locations as published on janatabank-uae.ae/Contact.aspx.
Abu Dhabi
| Branch | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Main Branch (UAE Head Office) | Ground Floor, Al Saman Tower, Beside Capital Park, Plot C-7, Sector E-8, Hamdan Street, P.O. Box 2630, Abu Dhabi, UAE | +971 2 304 4625 |
| Al Ain Branch | Sk. Khalifa Bin Mohd. Al-Nahyan Building, Main Market Centre, Main Street, P.O. Box 1107, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE | +971 2 304 4679 |
Dubai
| Branch | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Branch | Ground Floor, Rolex Tower/Deira Twin Tower, Baniyas Road, Deira, Dubai, P.O. Box 3342, UAE | +971 2 304 4649 |
Sharjah
| Branch | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Sharjah Branch | Sheikha Mahra Building, Al Khaleej Square, Opposite Swiss-Bel (Ex-Rotana) Hotel, Arabian Gulf Street, Al Mujarrah, P.O. Box 5303, Sharjah, UAE | +971 2 304 4664 |
UAE routing codes: Abu Dhabi 103110110 · Al Ain 403111013 · Dubai 103120111 · Sharjah 103130112. Verify current details on the official Janata Bank UAE website (janatabank-uae.ae).
Information may change – verify current terms on the official Janata Bank PLC UAE website before making financial decisions. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
FAQ – Janata Bank PLC UAE
Is Janata Bank PLC the same as Janata Bank Limited?
Yes. The bank operated as “Janata Bank Limited” from 2007 and was rebranded to “Janata Bank PLC” on 8 August 2023 following a Bangladesh Bank notification. The UAE operation, SWIFT code (JANBAEAA) and branch network remain unchanged.
How many branches does Janata Bank PLC have in the UAE?
Four branches: Abu Dhabi (UAE Head Office at Al Saman Tower, Hamdan Street), Al Ain, Dubai (Deira) and Sharjah. There are no Janata Bank branches in Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain.
How do I open a Janata Bank account in the UAE?
Visit your nearest branch in person with a valid passport (minimum 6 months validity), Emirates ID, UAE residence visa, salary certificate or labour contract and proof of address. The branch will help you complete KYC and link the account to NRB schemes if you want to subscribe to Wage Earner bonds.
Can non-Bangladeshis open an account at Janata Bank UAE?
Technically yes for UAE residents, but the bank’s products, language support and operational focus are built around the Bangladeshi community. Other nationalities are usually better served by mainstream UAE retail banks.
What is the SWIFT code for Janata Bank PLC UAE?
The main SWIFT/BIC code is JANBAEAA, shared by all UAE branches. The default extension is JANBAEAAXXX for the head office. Branch-specific 11-character codes are JANBAEAAAUH (Abu Dhabi), JANBAEAADXB (Dubai), JANBAEAASHJ (Sharjah) and JANBAEAAALN (Al Ain). UAE routing codes for domestic AED clearing are 103110110 (Abu Dhabi), 103120111 (Dubai), 103130112 (Sharjah) and 403111013 (Al Ain). A full list is available on the All Janata Bank PLC Swift Codes page.
How long does a Taka remittance take?
Janata-to-Janata account credits inside Bangladesh are typically same-day or next working day. Transfers to other Bangladeshi banks via BEFTN or RTGS usually arrive within 1-2 working days. Taka drafts are physical instruments collected by the beneficiary at a Janata Bank branch in Bangladesh.
How much does it cost to send money to Bangladesh via Janata Bank?
The Taka draft issuance commission was re-fixed from AED 10 to AED 4 per draft, making it one of the lowest cost AED-BDT channels in the UAE. TT (Telegraphic Transfer) commission is similarly competitive. Confirm the current rate at the branch before transacting as Bangladesh Bank circulars revise these periodically.
Can I subscribe to Wage Earner Development Bonds at Janata Bank UAE?
Yes. All four UAE branches process NRB scheme subscriptions including the Wage Earner Development Bond (WEDB), US Dollar Investment Bond (USDIB) and US Dollar Premium Bond (USDPB), subject to Bangladesh Bank eligibility rules and holding limits.
Does Janata Bank UAE issue credit cards?
No. Janata Bank PLC’s UAE operation does not issue UAE retail credit cards. Customers needing UAE credit cards should look at mainstream UAE retail banks.
Does Janata Bank UAE have a mobile banking app?
No dedicated full-featured retail mobile banking app for UAE customers. Most transactions – remittance, NRB bond subscription, account opening – are processed at the branch counter. Daily exchange rates are published on the website janatabank-uae.ae. Note that the parent bank in Bangladesh offers its “eJanata” app, which is intended for Bangladesh-resident customers rather than UAE-resident accounts.
What are the working hours of Janata Bank UAE branches?
Janata Bank UAE branches follow standard UAE banking days (typically Monday to Friday), with morning-to-early-afternoon hours and closure on Saturday and Sunday. Hours vary during Ramadan and public holidays. Confirm with your branch directly using the dedicated phone numbers listed in the branch network section.
How do I close my Janata Bank UAE account?
Visit your home branch in person with your Emirates ID and any debit cards or chequebooks issued. Settle outstanding balances, complete the account closure form and collect the closing certificate. Processing typically takes a few working days.
Is Janata Bank UAE regulated by the UAE Central Bank?
Yes. Janata Bank PLC’s UAE operation is licensed and supervised by the Central Bank of the UAE, in addition to its primary regulator, Bangladesh Bank.
What should I do if my Emirates ID expires while my account is active?
Update your KYC at the branch as soon as you renew your Emirates ID. Failing to refresh KYC documents can lead to temporary account restrictions in line with UAE Central Bank rules.
