Women entrepreneurs participating in BRAC Bank’s fairs and workplace sales programmes generate more than Tk4.5 crore in annual sales and secure Tk70 lakh in pre-orders, as the lender helps small businesses reach customers alongside providing training and financial support.
The sales come through two initiatives under TARA, the bank’s women’s banking segment, which combines business education, digital skills, mentorship and market access to help women start and expand their enterprises, BRAC Bank said on Saturday.
The annual three-day TARA Uddokta Mela, held during the peak Eid shopping season, has provided free stalls to 400 women entrepreneurs across four editions, enabling them to showcase locally made products, meet customers and explore new sales opportunities.
A separate initiative, the UddogTARA Market Enlistment Programme, is held quarterly at the bank’s head office. Nearly 600 women entrepreneurs have participated, displaying their products to bank employees and gaining access to a recurring sales platform.
Together, the two programmes account for the reported annual sales and pre-orders.
Beyond providing access to buyers, BRAC Bank has developed training programmes tailored to entrepreneurs at different stages of business growth.
Its flagship Uddokta 101 accelerator, launched in 2021, has trained 1,000 women entrepreneurs in business management, financial literacy and market readiness.
The three-month programme combines classroom learning, mentorship, case studies, interactive sessions and trade fairs through partnerships with the University of Dhaka, BRAC University, East West University, Daffodil International University and Chittagong Independent University.
For entrepreneurs outside major business centres, Amrai TARA offers three-day regional workshops covering financial management, documentation, branding, marketing and digital operations.
The initiative trains more than 1,200 women-owned small and medium enterprises annually and has reached 40 of Bangladesh’s 64 districts over four years.
The bank has also expanded its digital training through UddogTARA, which covers social media management, strategic and digital marketing, artificial intelligence tools and online business platforms.
Since 2024, the programme has trained 300 women-owned enterprises in advanced digital literacy, artificial intelligence and digital marketing.
BRAC Bank also provides training in banking services and financial literacy to nearly 2,000 women entrepreneurs annually through its network of 195 branches.
BRAC Bank Additional Managing Director and Head of SME Banking Syed Abdul Momen said supporting women-owned businesses was an economic opportunity extending beyond access to finance.
“Women’s entrepreneurship deserves to be recognised as an economic opportunity. When women build successful businesses, they create livelihoods, support their families and contribute to local economies,” he said.
“Our responsibility as a bank is to recognise that potential and help ensure that ambition is matched by opportunity. We want more women to build enterprises that endure and have a stronger voice in Bangladesh’s economic future.”
