United Finance PLC has entered into a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to strengthen its focus on affordable housing and small and medium enterprise (SME) financing in Bangladesh.
The agreement was signed at United Finance’s head office in Dhaka by United Finance Managing Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam and IFC Regional Upstream and Advisory Manager for South Asia, Financial Institutions Group (FIG) Mehdi Cherkaoui.
Under the partnership, IFC will conduct a detailed diagnostic assessment to enhance United Finance’s capabilities in affordable home loans and SME financing. The collaboration is expected to help the company realign its long-term business strategy and scale up operations in these two sectors.
“Our future growth hinges on empowering consumers—particularly in affordable housing and small businesses,” said United Finance Managing Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam. “We are committed to reorienting our resources and sharpening our focus on these two priority sectors over the next five years. IFC’s global expertise and proven insight will significantly strengthen our efforts,” he added.
From IFC, Country Anchor for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal (Upstream and Advisory, FIG) Partha Guha Thakura, Investment Officer (FIG) Md Rezwanur Rahman, and Associate Operations Officer (Upstream and Advisory, FIG) Mushtari Manzoor were present at the signing ceremony.
Representing United Finance were Deputy Managing Director Mohammed Abul Ahsan and Chief Financial Officer Lingkon Mondal, along with other senior officials from both organisations.
With over 36 years of service, United Finance PLC is one of Bangladesh’s leading non-bank financial institutions. Operating through 23 branches across the country, it maintains a strong presence in SME and affordable housing finance, contributing to inclusive economic development and financial access nationwide.
The company said the partnership with IFC marks a major step toward expanding financial inclusion by combining IFC’s global experience with United Finance’s local expertise to empower middle- and low-income borrowers and entrepreneurs.
