SMESPD Circular No. 1: Formation of Women Entrepreneur Development Unit in Banks and Financial Institutions to Strengthen Monitoring Activities for the Development of Women Entrepreneurs

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Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank of Bangladesh) Head Office Motijheel, Dhaka-1000 Bangladesh. www.bb.org.bd

SME & Special Programs Department (Women Entrepreneur Development Unit)

SMESPD Circular No. 1

Date: 08 February 2015 26 Magh 1421

Managing Director / Chief Executive All Scheduled Banks and Financial Institutions of Bangladesh.

Regarding the formation of the "Women Entrepreneur Development Unit" in banks and financial institutions to strengthen monitoring activities for the development of women entrepreneurs.

Dear Sir,

You are aware that one of the areas of the Millennium Development Goals, along with the development agendas of Bangladesh, is the economic liberation and empowerment of women. To further accelerate the achievement of this goal, the newly formed "Women Entrepreneur Development Unit" at Bangladesh Bank is conducting programs. The list of names of the officers working in the said unit, along with their Terms of Reference, has been sent to all scheduled banks and financial institutions.

It has been decided to form a "Women Entrepreneur Development Unit" in the head offices and regional offices (if any) of all banks and financial institutions to properly and more seriously carry out developmental activities such as providing all kinds of services to women entrepreneurs, taking initiative in priority-based loan distribution to women entrepreneurs at the micro and cottage levels, creating new women entrepreneurs through promotional activities, increasing and achieving the target of SME loan distribution, and identifying clusters of women entrepreneurs and including them in their loan operations. The proposed unit will monitor the activities of the Women Entrepreneur Dedicated Desk/Help Desks at the branch level. The recruitment of female officers in the Women Entrepreneur Development Unit should be considered on a priority basis.

You are requested to form the Women Entrepreneur Development Unit of your respective institutions and inform this department within 15 days of the issuance of this circular.

Kindly acknowledge receipt.

Yours faithfully,

(Sapan Kumar Roy) General Manager Phone: 95301 86