Investigating the Customer Perceptions of Trust, Religiosity, and Satisfaction With the Use of Islamic Banking Services: Bangladesh Perspectives

Islamic banking in Bangladesh has experienced significant expansion during recent decades, but it has certain limits in its development, conditioned by several systemic and operational issues. Although Islamic banking has experienced substantial growth, its market share remains below its potential considering that more than 90% of Bangladesh's population is Muslim and Islamic banking accounts for approximately one-fourth of the total banking industry assets and deposits. However, customers' perceptions of Islamic banking services may deteriorate if banks violate Shariah and provide poor service. This paper seeks to explore expert perspectives regarding the factors shaping customer perceptions of trust, religiosity, and satisfaction toward Islamic banking services in Bangladesh and the important roles these factors play in enhancing the performance of Islamic banks. A total of six semi-structured interviews with staff members of different Islamic financial organizations of Bangladesh were conducted to collect the data. In addition, focus group discussion was also conducted involving four Shariah scholars, academicians, and Islamic finance experts. Data were analysed thematically using the Atlas.ti platform. As found in this study, the success of Islamic banking products is largely dependent on the views of trust, religiosity, and satisfaction. Islamic banks can cultivate a loyal customer base that is more likely to maintain long-term relationships with the institution and engage in positive word-of-mouth communication. In an era of stiff competition in the financial field, this combination could prove helpful for the sustainability and growth of the Islamic banking system. The results of the current study would be helpful for regulators, policymakers, and bankers, and it is anticipated that the recommendations made from the current study can indeed make some valuable contributions to the development of the services offered by Islamic banking in Bangladesh. Through the current study, the literature on Islamic banking gets enriched as it provides qualitative information from industry experts and Shariah practitioners on how trust, religiosity, and satisfaction affect customer loyalty.