ADB approves $150m for small enterprises

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $150m for small enterprises to create jobs in order to promote socio-economic recovery. 

The ADB and the government on Monday signed an agreement for $150 million in loan to provide financing for cottage, micro, and small-sized enterprises (CMSEs) on the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assistance under the Supporting Post-COVID-19 Small-Scale Employment Creation Project will rejuvenate CMSEs operated by youth, rural entrepreneurs, returning migrant workers, particularly women, who have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Edimon Ginting, Country Director, ADB, signed the agreements on behalf of Bangladesh and ADB, respectively held at a ceremony at ERD in the capital, said an ADB press release.

"The assistance will support government's efforts to accelerate socioeconomic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Fatima Yasmin, secretary for ERD.

"This project will reinforce ADB's long-standing support to Bangladesh in financial inclusion and address key barriers for financing CMSEs by developing a comprehensive action plan that will tackle sector-wide challenges, promote best practices at the banks, and expand training and business development support to the borrowers," said Country Director Edimon Ginting.

"The project will also balance the affordability and availability of loans in addition to adopting innovative approaches so that lower loan interest rates do not disincentivize banks' lending to CMSEs," Ginting added.

The loan to Bangladesh Bank, the nation's central bank, will be on-lent to participating financial institutions (PFIs), which in turn will help 30,000 CMSEs operated by the beneficiaries.

The project will create at least 45,000 employment opportunities by December 2025. It has targeted to disburse 20 percent of the funds to micro business led by women to support their recovery as they have limited access to finance and have severely been affected by the pandemic due to their high concentration in retail, travel, and hospitality sectors.

ADB will provide an additional $900,000 technical assistance grant from its Technical Assistance Special Fund for Bangladesh Bank and participating financial institutions to help them strengthen their risk management capacities, business process, and information systems.

The assistance will also boost their support of CMSEs by incorporating mobile finance, value chain financing, and sustainable financing tackling climate change.