Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Atiur Rahman has announced a special scheme for micro women entrepreneurs to expedite the ongoing financial inclusion programmes.
Speaking at a view exchange meeting at Cox’s Bazar Friday afternoon, the governor announced that all commercial banks and non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) would provide minimum Taka 50,000 as loan for at least a woman entrepreneur each year.
A total of 9,228 branches of all banks and NBFIs will give the loans to the women entrepreneurs across the country.
“We’ll able to create nearly 10,000 women entrepreneurs every year if the initiative continues,” Atiur said while announcing the fresh scheme in addition to the ongoing programmes.
He also asked the banks and NBFIs to expedite the implementation of ongoing financial inclusion programmes across the country through strengthening financing in SME entrepreneurs, particularly the women.
The central bank chief hoped that with the initiative, the small women entrepreneurs will become middle ones gradually.
He also said the BB not only created separate unit managed by women officials for women entrepreneurship development but also has directed all banks and NBFIs to have similar units. As a result, thousands of women entrepreneurs are having access to finance in different clusters.
Besides, he said BB has taken special policy measures and opened refinance windows to facilitate development of women empowerment in various sectors.
