Chairman of Polli Karmo Sohayak Foundation (PKSF) Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed said that microcredit would not reduce poverty alleviation. At least 90 per cent poor, who enjoyed microfinace facility in the country, could not overcome ultra poverty, he added. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, the PKSF chairman said although the PKSF started its journey in 1990 with the main objective of monitoring microfinance considering the background of that time, the platform is now gradually trying to come out from the microfinace sector. “We have already come out from the traditional microcredit and are now trying to make the poor solvent permanently through other effective projects,” he said. The PKSF arranged the press conference at the National Press Club in the city to brief its year-long programme chalked out to observe its Silver Jubilee. The inaugural programme of the Silver Jubilee will be held today (Sunday) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city at 10:30 AM. Finance minister AMA Muhith will be the chief guest in the programme, the press conference was told. The year-long programme for Silver Jubilee observation will end on May 10 next year. Seminar, symposiums, discussion, campaign and some other programme will be organised by this time, said Dr Kholiquzzaman.He briefed about the activities of the PKSF in the last 25 years and mentioned their different projects which played vital role in alleviating poverty and creating employment of poor people. He also spoke of different other future plans of the PKSF. Dr Kholiquzzaman said that the poverty-stricken people of Bangladesh suffered a lot due to high rate of interest for borrowing from microcredit agencies. The PKSF criticized the Word Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for placing their report about economy, poverty and budget of Bangladesh. The World Bank and the ADB have no right to place their recommendations publicly at a press conference. If they have recommendations, they may take up these with the concerned authorities, not arranging press conference, he said.
