Economic Reporter :The poor people repay hundred per cent bank loans timely, but this is not visible among the rich, said Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman.”The lame excuse of loan default incidents is not applicable. We need to put hundred per cent effort for the development of underprivileged people of the country,” he said while addressing a seminar on “Housing Fund for removing the challenges of underprivileged people” at Bangladesh Bank Training Academy (BBTA) in the city on Sunday.He said, “We do not want to create economic discrimination and that is why we have undertaken several financial inclusion for the improvement of livelihood of poor people in the country.” The BB governor suggested that NGOs, Banks and National Housing Authority (NHA) have to come under one umbrella to form a joint fund to meet the deficit of overdue loan. The central bank would provide all assistance to the NHA to implement the project fund for the betterment of the poor people of the country, he assured.Chairman of steering committee of National Housing Fund Abul Kalam Azad told the seminar that the minimum loan should be at least Tk 80,000. He declared that NHA is going to undertake more effective measures to expand the projects across the country. Banking Division Secretary of Finance Ministry Dr. M Aslam Alam suggested that the NGO officials should improve their efficiency in choosing the clients to check the classified loans.The NGO leaders demanded for increasing the housing loan fund for themselves with a view to expanding their programme effectively. They claimed that the NHA takes more time to disburse housing fund to the NGOs, which is hindering the loan disbursement process among the poor. They underscored the need for improving the disbursement process in order to get the housing fund quickly.A good number of NGO officials took part the seminar.
