No conspiracy can derail National Life's growth

Economic Correspondent: National Life Insurance PLC is pursuing business expansion, strengthening its financial position and improving customer services in Bangladesh’s life insurance sector, with the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Md. Kazim Uddin, playing a key role in its progress, according to the company’s Public Relations Officer, Amir Hossain Jony.Jony said a section of people was allegedly engaged in various activities aimed at undermining the company’s reputation and obstructing its continued business growth. However, he expressed confidence that such attempts would not derail the company’s progress under the dynamic leadership of Kazim Uddin.He stressed that competence, professional efficiency and corporate reputation were essential to achieving sustainable success in the insurance industry. According to him, earning customers’ trust and ensuring promised services were crucial for any insurance company seeking to maintain its market position over the long term.Under Kazim Uddin’s leadership, National Life has been placing emphasis on business expansion, strengthening field-level operations and improving the quality of services for policyholders, Jony said.He added that the company intended to remain focused on its core business objectives rather than be distracted by alleged attempts to damage its reputation. In an increasingly competitive market, he said, customer confidence and quality service should remain the principal priorities.Jony also noted that business growth alone could not be the sole measure of success in the insurance sector. Timely settlement of insurance claims, customer satisfaction and the fulfilment of contractual commitments were equally important for building a sustainable business.National Life recorded a notable increase in premium income in 2025, reflecting continued expansion of its insurance business.According to the financial figures provided by the company, its total premium income reached approximately Tk 2,340 crore in 2025, compared with Tk 2,106 crore in 2024.The increase of around Tk 234 crore represents year-on-year growth of approximately 11.36 per cent.The company’s nationwide operations, the activities of its development workforce and efforts to extend insurance services to customers have been identified as important contributors to this growth.In January 2026, National Life held its managers’ conference and business planning meeting to review the previous year’s performance and set business targets for the New Year. Around 1,000 development officers from across the country attended the meeting, according to the information provided.The conference was aimed at assessing business achievements and strengthening plans for further expansion in the life insurance market.Alongside its growth in premium income, National Life also recorded an increase in its life insurance fund and investments, according to its audited annual report for 2024.The company’s life insurance fund stood at approximately Tk 5,996 crore at the end of 2024, up from around Tk 5,301 crore a year earlier.Its total investments also increased to approximately Tk 5,657 crore during the same period.The growth in these financial indicators highlights the importance of maintaining a sound financial base while expanding insurance operations. For policyholders, the financial strength of an insurer is an important consideration when assessing its ability to meet long-term commitments.However, sustained financial performance must go hand in hand with prudent investment management, transparency and effective corporate governance to maintain public confidence.Timely payment of insurance claims is one of the most important factors in building and retaining customers’ trust in the life insurance industry.According to company figures, National Life settled insurance claims worth approximately Tk 1,204 crore in 2024, compared with around Tk 1,101 crore in 2023.The amount paid in claims thus increased by approximately Tk 103 crore year on year.Jony said ensuring proper services and delivering the benefits promised to policyholders were central to the company’s success.He said customers’ confidence would grow when they received their entitled benefits when needed. National Life intended to build on that confidence to maintain and strengthen its position in the insurance industry, he added.For policyholders, the value of a life insurance policy depends not only on the promise of future financial protection but also on the insurer’s ability to honour its commitments in a timely and transparent manner.As competition intensifies in Bangladesh’s insurance sector, companies face growing pressure to expand their businesses while improving service quality, protecting policyholders’ interests and ensuring financial discipline.For National Life, maintaining its growth momentum will therefore depend not only on increasing premium income and expanding its market presence but also on strengthening customer relationships and ensuring reliable claim settlement.The company’s reported growth in premium income, life fund and investments provides an indication of its business expansion. Maintaining this performance over the longer term will require continued attention to customer needs, operational efficiency and sound corporate governance.Jony expressed optimism that National Life would continue its progress by prioritising quality services and customer satisfaction.He said the company’s long-term success would ultimately be measured by the confidence it earned from policyholders, the quality of services it delivered and its contribution to building greater trust in the life insurance sector. As Bangladesh’s insurance market continues to evolve, the ability to combine business growth with dependable customer service will remain a defining test for National Life and other insurers seeking sustainable success.