An agreement to install an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Vaadhoo, Raa Atoll, was finalised during a community meeting attended by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, marking a significant step towards enhancing financial accessibility. The agreement was concluded between the Bank of Maldives Plc. (BML) and the Vaadhoo Island Council as part of President Dr Muizzu's three-day tour of Raa Atoll.
BML's Director of Retail and SME Banking, Badhurudheen Hassan, signed the agreement on behalf of the bank, while Council President Hussain Ali signed on behalf of the local council. This initiative underscores the administration's commitment to ensuring that all inhabited islands are equipped with ATM services by the end of the year, specifically those currently lacking such facilities.
President Dr Muizzu’s administration launched the project to establish ATMs on all inhabited islands in November 2024, aligning with the broader objective of fortifying the financial empowerment of the people. Currently, BML operates over 150 ATMs across 90 islands, with plans to install them on an additional 17 islands by March of this year.