Bangladesh Bank has already introduced
several schemes and programs to flourish and expand SME Enterprises. Refinance
scheme funded by Bangladesh Bank, IDA and ADB has been facilitated for the
development of SME Sector. Besides, to ensure institutional financial
facilities under easy conditions Bangladesh Bank has taken diverse steps; like
opening of ‘Dedicated
Desk’ for SME and ‘SME Service Centre’ in the banks and special facilities for
the women entrepreneurs. But reality is that expected outcome has not been
achieved so far in this sector.
Reasonably, a new department namely ‘SME and Special Programmes Department’ has been established in Bangladesh Bank
recently which will be solely responsible for policy formulation, facilitating
fund, monitoring and development of entrepreneurship in the SME sector.
The guidelines formulated by the newly created department
for compliance of the banks and financial institutions for the development of
SME sector are enumerated below:
1. For the first time in Bangladesh, an indicative target for
SME loan disbursement has been set for 2010 by the banks and financial
institutions considering SME development as one of the most important development
agenda of the country. According to the target, SME loan shall be disbursed to
the small, medium and women entrepreneurs.
2. Following the 'Area Approach Method'
banks/financial institutions will try to attain their indicative targets
separately by dividing it as branch wise, region wise & sector wise.
3. Each bank/financial institution shall
follow a separate business strategy in financing SME loan with least
formalities in executing documentation to ensure easy and speedy loan sanction
and disbursement process.
4. Priority shall be given to small
entrepreneurs.
5. For small entrepreneurs credit limit
will be ranged from Tk. 50,000 (Fifty thousand) to Tk. 50,00,000 (Fifty lac).
6.
For
more participation of women entrepreneurs in industrial development of the country
and for conducting business activities by women entrepreneurs in large number,
priority shall have to be given to potential women entrepreneurs in respect of
SME credit disbursement.
7.
Banks
& Financial Institutions shall put highest priority in receiving loan
application from small and medium women entrepreneurs and settle the loan
disbursement process within very reasonable time from the date of acceptance of
the application.
8.
Each
bank and financial institution shall establish a separate ‘Women Entrepreneurs’ Dedicated Desk’ with necessary and suitable manpower,
provide them training on SME financing and suiltably appoint a lady officer as
chief of dedicated desk. Branch wise list of ‘Women Entrepreneurs’ Dedicated Desk ‘should be sent to SME and Special
Programs Department of Bangladesh Bank within two months from the date of
declaration of this policy and programme.
9.
Banks
and financial institutions may sanction up to Tk. 25,00,000 to women
entrepreneurs against personal guarantee. In that case, group security/social security may be considered.
10. The success in SME loan disbursement will be considered as
yardstick for further approval of new branches of the concerned bank. License
for New Branches will be issued for financing the priority sectors like SME and
agriculture from 2010 in the name of ‘SME/Agriculture Branch’ instead of ‘SME Service Centre; in order to involve banks in financing
priority sector like SME and Agriculture’.
11. Each bank/financial institution shall
fix the interest rate on SME loan sector/subsectorwise. However, bank/financial
institution will inform Bangladesh Bank sector/sub-sector wise rate of interest
immediately and ensure disbursement of refinanced fund to the clients (women
entrepreneurs) at Bank rate +5% interests.
12. Training programs shall be arranged for
the entrepreneurs.
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