Bank loans to women entrepreneurs under SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) category increased by 1 percent in the first quarter of the year 2012 compared to the previous year. From January to March, all banks have disbursed Tk 646.59 crore in loans among 4,481 women entrepreneurs across the country. The amount was 5 percent of total SME loans disbursed by banks Tk 14,281 crore in the same period, according to statistics provided by SME and Special Service Department of Bangladesh Bank (BB).

The target set by the central bank for the year 2012 is to disburse Tk 59,012 crore as SME loans.

In 2011, a total of 16,996 women entrepreneurs have received Tk 2048.5 crore which was 4 per cent of total amount disbursed under SME category by banks. In the year 2010, some 13,831 women entrepreneurs have obtained Tk 1,804.92 crore in loans.

Meanwhile, BB statistics suggests that the trading sector is still on the top of priority by banks to endorse loans, though it is maintaining a slightly declining trend year-on-year.

In percentage point share, disbursement of SME loans to trading sector was 66 per cent in 2010 and 64 per cent in 2011. It has come down to 62 per cent in the first quarter of 2012.

Industrial sector followed the next position as the bank loans to this sector increasing slightly year-on-year. The sector has received 28 per cent of total SME loans in 2010, 29.4 per cent in 2011. Data for January-March of 2012 showed that this sector has received 32 per cent, out of total disbursement.

Total disbursement of SME loans in the year 2010 and 2011 was Tk 53, 544 crore and Tk 53,719 crore respectively.   

The share of bank loans to the service sector was 6.6 per cent in 2010 and 2011 while it came down to 6 per cent in first quarter of the year 2012.

A BB official said the central bank has been persuading banks for long to raise loans to productive pursuit which is directly involved in employment generation. “To this effect, the BB authority has separated the SME department with adequate manpower to monitor banks’ performance in this regard,” said Sukumol Sinha Chowdhury, general manager of the department.

He said the central bank believe that SMEs alone can generate huge employment across the country.
“Employment will help grow trade and commerce and industries which are important to accelerate economic growth,” said the official.

The Independent/ Bangladesh/ 13th May 2012