RDB Bank – From grassroots to greatness: 40 years of empowering Sri Lanka’s heartland

The inspiring journey of the RDB Bank began in 1985, born under the Regional Rural Development Banks Act (RRDB) Act, No. 15 of 1985. With a mission to bridge the financial gap in rural Sri Lanka, district-level banks were established to cater to grassroots communities, planting the seeds of inclusive development.

By 1997, a transformative step was taken under the RDB Banks Act, No. 06 of 1997, uniting 17 regional rural development banks into six provincial development banks: Rajarata, Ruhuna, Wayamba, Kandurata, Uva, and Sabaragamuwa.

A historic milestone arrived with the Pradeshiya Sanwardana Bank Act, No. 41 of 2008, which led to the merger of the six banks into a single national entity on 1 May 2010. Being the Regional Development Bank (RDB) at the national level, the Government-owned development bank’s objective was to facilitate the overall regional economic development of Sri Lanka by promoting the development of agriculture, industry, trade, commerce, livestock, fisheries, and tourism activities and the empowerment of women, mainly by granting financial assistance to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and practising savings habits for them.

Banking with the ‘Door to Door’ concept

Rooted in the ‘Door to Door’ concept, RDB has always focused on bringing banking services directly to the people to their door-to-door business step. With a commitment to innovative, simple, and practical financial tools, the bank empowers individuals at the middle and bottom of the income pyramid—from micro, small, and medium-scale entrepreneurs to export-oriented enterprises.

Nurturing a culture of saving and sustainability

Through a range of value-added deposit products and high-interest savings options, the bank actively promotes financial discipline within communities, especially encouraging school children and minors to start saving early.

RDB’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives reflect its deep commitment to sustainable development. Among its flagship programs are:

• RDB ‘Diri Abhimani’ (since 2021): Crowning and empowering women entrepreneurs with guidance, training, and awards at district and national levels.
• RDB ‘Pusthaka Sathakara’: Distributing exercise books and stationery to selected schools in all provinces, supporting the next generation of learners.
• Organising financial literacy programs and workshops focused on entrepreneurship, with the goal of empowering aspiring and existing customers and entrepreneurs.

Embracing the digital frontier

True to its progressive spirit, RDB has embraced the digital age to make banking faster, safer, and more inclusive:

• ATM operations began in 2015, now featuring 51 owned ATMs and Smart Centres in Welioya and Padavi Parakramapura.
• To mark the 40th anniversary, six new CRM machines will be launched in urban areas.
• RDB offers JCB and VISA debit cards for convenient local purchases.

A network of 500 Business Promotion Assistants delivers door-to-door banking, enabling over 150,000 daily business transactions through a digital application.

Over 6,000 QR merchants accept LankaQR and digital fund transfers, bill payments, and QR transactions are enabled via JustPay-compatible apps.

A nationwide footprint with a personal touch

Serving nearly 7 million customers through 272 branches, RDB is driven by a permanent workforce of 2,500+ professionals committed to powering local entrepreneurship and national progress.

Celebrating 40 years of impact

As RDB reaches its 40th milestone on 13 July, the celebrations will culminate in a series of commemorative events from 25-27 July at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Highlights include the issuing of a commemorative stamp, RDB Entrepreneurs Trade Fair, Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Entrepreneurs, Talent Show, RDB Quiz, and many more exciting activities.

A legacy of upliftment, a future of promise

From humble beginnings to becoming a national symbol of inclusive development and grassroots empowerment, RDB continues to be the financial backbone of Sri Lanka, forging ahead into the future with resilience, innovation, and heart.