bdnews24.com :
The Bangladesh Bank governor has warned commercial banks of ‘prompt actions’ if they harass women entrepreneurs seeking loans.
Atiur Rahman’s word of caution came at a seminar held at the Agrabad Hotel in Chittagong on Sunday.
Businesswomen at the seminar complained to the governor about ‘different difficulties’ and sought his intervention.
Rahman said: “There is no loan defaulter among women entrepreneurs. Their difficulties in getting loans can’t be accepted.”
He advised the businesswomen to lodge complaints by calling the Bangladesh Bank hotline or approaching the assistance unit if harassed.
The governor instructed the central bank’s Chittagong office Executive Director Mizanur Rahman to attend to women entrepreneurs’ complaints promptly.
He asked the officials to extend collateral-free loans up to Tk 2.5 million to every eligible businesswoman.
Rahman said the number of women entrepreneurs was increasing each year and urged them to take loans from a reserved fund of the central bank at only 5 percent rate of interest.
He said last year, banks and financial institutions lent around Tk 33.47 billion to 41,695 businesswomen.
A total of 20,349 women entrepreneurs were given Tk 26.51 billion in the first nine months of the current year, he added.
Bangladesh Bank and the Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the seminar.
The Bangladesh Bank governor has warned commercial banks of ‘prompt actions’ if they harass women entrepreneurs seeking loans.
Atiur Rahman’s word of caution came at a seminar held at the Agrabad Hotel in Chittagong on Sunday.
Businesswomen at the seminar complained to the governor about ‘different difficulties’ and sought his intervention.
Rahman said: “There is no loan defaulter among women entrepreneurs. Their difficulties in getting loans can’t be accepted.”
He advised the businesswomen to lodge complaints by calling the Bangladesh Bank hotline or approaching the assistance unit if harassed.
The governor instructed the central bank’s Chittagong office Executive Director Mizanur Rahman to attend to women entrepreneurs’ complaints promptly.
He asked the officials to extend collateral-free loans up to Tk 2.5 million to every eligible businesswoman.
Rahman said the number of women entrepreneurs was increasing each year and urged them to take loans from a reserved fund of the central bank at only 5 percent rate of interest.
He said last year, banks and financial institutions lent around Tk 33.47 billion to 41,695 businesswomen.
A total of 20,349 women entrepreneurs were given Tk 26.51 billion in the first nine months of the current year, he added.
Bangladesh Bank and the Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised the seminar.
