Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman asked the commercial banks and non-banking financial institutions for extending loan facilities to socially disadvantaged individuals.
He said this in an address as the chief guest at a loan agreement signing ceremony held at Bangladesh Bank headquarters.
The agreement of loan for the disadvantaged section in the society was signed by Midland Bank Limited, a private commercial bank, Palli Karma Unnayan Sangstha (PKUS), and a micro-finance institution, said a press release the central bank issued yesterday.
The central bank chief also disbursed credit to people from poor backgrounds after the signing.
Under the deal, the Midland Bank is to finance Tk1 crore to 236 such people, including third gender, generally known as Hijra, disabled, socially disadvantaged women and ethnic (Rakhine) group for a five-year term.
The loan is payable in quarterly installment.
Atiur said the central bank has taken initiatives to provide loans for the backward community, including transgender, in order to mainstream them in economic activities for improving their livelihoods.
Earlier on June 10 this year, the central bank through a circular asked the banks and NBFIs to extend their credit facilities to entrepreneurs classed as transgender or hermaphrodites under small and medium enterprise category of customers.
In 2013, the Bangladesh government recognised the third gender individuals to ensure their rights, enabling them to identify gender in documents such as passports.
In 2009, Bangladesh allowed them to vote for the first time.
