The central bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Tuesday asked the foreign commercial banks to allocate financial assistance in country’s SME sector.
“Allocation of more funds will encourage the SME stakeholders,” said the central bank governor while addressing a national level seminar titled Sustainable business model for SME banking organised by the SME Foundation. Held at Bangladesh Bank Training Academy (BBTA), the seminar was also participated among others by the central bvank deputy governor Md Abul Quasem, former deputy governor Khandker Ibrahim Khaled, SME Foundation’s managing director Dr Sayed Md Ihsanul Karim and the Director General of Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) Dr Taufic Ahmed Chowdhury.
Considering the importance of financial access for SME, the governor disclosed that during the last four years (2010 -2013), the financial institutions distributed Tk 262,340 crore among  18.35 lakh SME entrepreneurs. Moreover, banks have distributed Tk 754 crore to 9614 new women entrepreneurs during the period, also said the governor. 
The banks have targeted to disburse Tk 88,537 crore in SME sector in current year (2014), the governor also said. The central bank has been working with Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) for the development of new entrepreneurs, he said, adding that it has constituted a Tk 100 crore revolving fund in this regard. Association of Banker (ABB) president Ali Reza Iftekhar presented a keynote.
He also mentioned, banks have been instructed to give cluster-based SME loans for the development of region-based economically potential sectors. He said, “Thoughts should be given in the provision of cluster based loans in different parts of the country.”