KULOB, November 17, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Compared to January-October 2008, dollar remittances to banks in Khatlon’s Kulob zone have significantly decreased, according to Safarali Saidov, the acting head of the branch of the National bank of Tajikistan in Kulob.

“Over the first ten months of this year, 73,916,238 million U.S. dollars have been remitted to local banks, which is 43,225,250 million U.S. dollars fewer than in the same period of last year,” said Saidov.

In the meantime, remittances in Russian rubles have increased over the report period.  In January-October this year, 607 million Russian rubles have been remitted to banks in the Kulob zone, which is 280.937 million Russian rubles more than in the same period of last year.

Fauzullo Azimov, the head of the branch of Tojik Sodirot Bonk (TSB) in Kulob, told Asia-Plus today that significant decrease in remittances from abroad has forced them to close their money transfer outlets in Temourmalik and Muminobod districts.