Bangladesh Bank has signed participation agreements with seven banks to implement Tk41,000 crore in financing schemes, with the funds to be provided to priority sectors through participating banks using their surplus liquidity.
The initiative is part of a Tk60,000 crore integrated refinancing or pre-financing package announced by the central bank to support production, investment, employment creation and economic activities.
The five financing areas include closed industries, CMSMEs, agriculture, export diversification and an agriculture-based special economic hub in northern Bangladesh.
Of the total fund, Tk20,000 crore has been allocated for a pre-financing scheme for closed industries and service-sector businesses, while Tk5,000 crore will support a CMSME working capital refinancing fund.
Another Tk3,000 crore has been allocated for export diversification, Tk10,000 crore for agriculture and rural-sector refinancing and Tk3,000 crore for developing an agriculture-based special economic hub in northern Bangladesh.
The initial participation agreements were signed with Sonali Bank, Bank Asia, Eastern Bank, City Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Pubali Bank and BRAC Bank.
Bangladesh Bank Director of Supervisory Data Management and Analytics Department Md Abdul Mannan signed the agreements on behalf of the central bank, while the managing directors of the participating banks signed on behalf of their respective institutions.
Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Md Kabir Ahmed, Deputy Governor Md Sarwar Hossain, Executive Director Md Enamul Karim Khan and officials from relevant departments attended the signing ceremony.
The central bank said the initiative aims to direct banks’ surplus liquidity towards productive and priority sectors through pre-financing and refinancing mechanisms, ensuring comparatively affordable financing for targeted activities.
The central bank said the schemes will support closed industries and service-sector businesses, expand financing opportunities for CMSMEs, increase agricultural production, strengthen rural economic activities and promote export diversification.
The agriculture and rural-sector component is aimed at supporting food security, income-generating activities and employment creation, while the northern agriculture hub initiative seeks to develop an agriculture-based special economic centre.
Bangladesh Bank said participating banks will play a key role in ensuring that the concessional loans reach the identified sectors and are used effectively.
