The private commercial bank, Trust Bank, has distributed a special loan to four IT freelancers to purchase laptop computers for freelancing at a ceremony in the ICT division yesterday.

The Bank distributed Tk1.49 lakh to four freelancers who are currently engaged in their professions and have received training under the “learning and earning programme” of the ICT Division.

Trust Bank and the ICT Division also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the issue.

After signing the MoU, Bangladesh Bank Governor M Atiur Rahman handed over the amount of Tk38,000 to freelancer, Tanjim Bhuyan, Tk25,000 to Maruf Hasan, Tk43,000 to Abu Salhy MD Kaysar and Tk43,000 to Tasfir Hosen Suman.

The ICT Division is the guarantor of these loans to be provided by the Trust Bank, and any freelancers can take out the loan ranging between Tk20,000 and Tk70,000, said a senior official.

The IT freelancers who trained from the ICT Division will be entitled to the loans. 

Sources said the loan will be repaid in 24 months of installments at 14% interest and the ICT Division is the corporate guarantor.

Around 20,000 people participated in the training for freelancing under the ICT Division. Most of them are doing freelancing jobs. 

The bank will finance 70% of the laptop price while the borrower will need to bear 30%, said Ishtiaq Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director of Trust Bank Limited, who also present at the ceremony.

The freelancers need to come under a freelancing association and have recommendation from the ICT Division to get the loan facility. 

The bank has also plan to offer massive loan scheme outside Dhaka, but before that a feasibility study will be conducted, Ishtiaq Ahmed Chowdhury said.

Earlier, the government planned to introduce this special loan scheme for 80,000 university students to help them buy laptops, but no bank had showed interest.

Though Rupali Bank and Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation had come forward to the offer, they also backtracked later.