The Daily Star:
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed has asked banks and other financial institutions to ease their lending system so that loans at a reduced interest rate for any SME (small and medium enterprise) scheme taken up by women entrepreneurs are ensured.
‘All private and public commercial banks should set up SME operation units or desks in their organizations for speedy and easy delivery of loans to women entrepreneurs,’ the head of the caretaker government said inaugurating the second National SME Women Entrepreneurs Conference 2008 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
He identified collaterals, high lending rate, inadequate market information, traditional management culture and family obligations on women’s part as some hurdles that stand in the way of flourishing SMEs.
Fakhruddin asked the banks to waive collaterals and lower lending rates.
The theme of the conference this year is ‘empowering women entrepreneurs towards a shared economic growth’.
Chaired by SME Foundation Chairperson Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, the opening session was attended among others by Mahbub Jamil, special assistant to the chief adviser, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Bank governor, Hua Du, ADB country director, and Ayub Miah, SME Foundation managing director.
Fakhruddin Ahmed said since SMEs have been playing a vital role in the national economy through generating employment and empowering women, every bank and financial institutions should create woman-friendly environment to provide loans for them. Read more.
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