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Senior officials of Bangladesh Bank and PKSF during the BDT 5,000 crore refinance agreement signing ceremony at Bangladesh Bank headquarters.
In a major push to stimulate the rural economy, foster inclusive growth, and generate sustainable livelihoods, Bangladesh Bank and Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) have officially inked an agreement valued at BDT 5,000 crore on Wednesday. The landmark deal is designed to expand targeted financing across the nation's microenterprise sector, invigorating grassroots economic initiatives and accelerating long-term employment opportunities throughout the country.
The formal signing ceremony took place at the Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Dhaka. Naushad Mustafa, Director of the SME and Special Programmes Department (SMESPD) of Bangladesh Bank, and Md. Fazlul Kader, Managing Director of PKSF, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions. The event was attended by senior central bank leadership, including Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed, Deputy Governor Md. Anisur Rahman, and Director Md. Jobdul Islam, alongside other senior officials from the SMESPD. High-ranking executives from PKSF, including its Deputy Managing Directors and General Managers, were also present to mark the occasion.
The central bank had initially announced this specialized BDT 5,000 crore stimulus and refinance package on May 23, designating PKSF as the key implementing agency to drive targeted employment-generation programs across Bangladesh. The dedicated fund is structured to develop new entrepreneurs from rural and marginalized communities, empower women and youth through financial inclusion, fortify the rural financial ecosystem, and support the expansion of existing microenterprises alongside their forward and backward value chain linkages.
The nationwide project is being rolled out through a tripartite strategic framework comprising comprehensive financial service delivery, cluster-based value chain development, and robust capacity-building and skill-enhancement initiatives for entrepreneurs.
Under this intervention, PKSF is targeting the creation of at least 200,000 new jobs within the microenterprise domain by fostering high-potential business clusters that have emerged in diverse regions across the country. To meet the expanding ground-level credit demand and maximize the developmental impact of the financial resources, the stimulus facility will be managed as a revolving fund. This continuous recirculation of liquidity ensures uninterrupted capital flow to grassroots enterprises, positioning the microenterprise sector as a vital catalyst for equitable, long-term, and inclusive national economic progress.
