Brac Bank celebrated the sixth anniversary of its pioneering women's banking initiative 'Tara' which introduced a comprehensive range of banking solutions tailored specifically for women in Bangladesh.
Tara empowered women by providing customer-centric solutions that added value to their lives, enabling them to take charge of their finances, businesses, careers, and aspirations, said a press release.
Over the past six years, Tara has emerged as a trusted partner, supporting the progress of more than 300,000 women across various sectors, including corporate professionals, business owners, homemakers, students, and senior citizens.
Regardless of their social strata, Tara has been instrumental in providing suitable solutions to women from all walks of life.
Brac Bank organized a ceremony at its Head Office in Dhaka to commemorate this milestone on June 22.
During the event, 24 exceptional officials from retail banking and 22 from SME banking were honoured with the Tara Business Champion Award.
Selim RF Hussain, managing director and CEO of Brac Bank, presented the awards to the deserving recipients.
M Masud Rana FCA, DMD & CFO; Md. Sabbir Hossain, DMD & COO; Syed Abdul Momen, DMD & Head of SME Banking; Md. Mahiul Islam, Head of Retail Banking; Sheikh Mohammad Ashfaque, Head of Branches; Mehruba Reza, Head, Women Banking Segment TARA &Agami-Student Banking Service; and Khadija Mariam, Head of Women Entrepreneur Cell, BRAC Bank, were present.
Selim RF Hussain, managing director and CEO of Brac Bank, said: "Tara has become an integral part of women's lives in Bangladesh. It has transformed how women approach banking, manage their finances, and achieve their life goals. Tara provides guidance to women for better financial planning, economic freedom, and the realization of their aspirations."
He further emphasized that Tara is not merely a banking proposition; it represents a solution to unlock the potential of every woman, he added.
Tara offers a range of financial products and services, including high-interest savings accounts, current accounts for women entrepreneurs, credit cards, business loans, home loans, and personal loans at preferential rates, with discounted processing fees.
Moreover, Tara has actively engaged in capacity-building initiatives to foster entrepreneurial dreams among women.
Collaborative programs like 'Uddokta 101' with Brac University, training for women in the hill tracts, partnerships with SME Foundation, and the Babson College-FMO skill development program have enabled women to realize their entrepreneurial potential.
Tara has received international recognition, including accolades such as the Data Champion and Women's Market Champion Engagement Award from the Championing the Female Economy Awards 2022 from Financial Alliance for Women, the Best Bank for Women Entrepreneurs from the Global SME Finance Forum, and commendation from Financial Times-IFC for women empowerment and financial inclusion.