Women entrepreneur Development Unit (WEDU)

Women entrepreneur Development Unit (WEDU) formed at all branches of Bangladesh Bank including SME & Special Programmes Department of Head Office vide Administrative Circular No.-21 of Human Resources Department-1 dated-30/11/2014. This Unit renders business friendly services to women entrepreneurs’, receives complain and settle thereof, carries out promotional activities for the development of women entrepreneurs’ and also monitors and evaluates the women entrepreneur’s development initiatives of Banks/Non-Bank Financial Institutions.

To encourage women entrepreneurs in taking initiatives or becoming women entrepreneur WEDU operates Small Enterprises Refinance Scheme to provide low cost fund. This unit is also entrusted with the responsibilities of promoting women entrepreneurship and supporting women entrepreneurs.

Policy Initiatives for Women Entrepreneurs (Updated)

Financial Inclusion has been prioritized in Bangladesh Bank’s policy to include small entrepreneurs and a large number of women in Financial activities. To ensure this, Bangladesh Bank has taken a number of policy initiatives for women entrepreneurs. These are as follows:-

1. According to the policy of SME & Special Programmes Department as regards financing women entrepreneurs Banks/FIs must maintain 10% of their total CMSME loan portfolio and the percentage will have to be raised at least 15% by the year 2024 (SMESPD Master Circular No.-02, Date-05/09/2019). This will include more women in the financial system which will ultimately expedite the women economic empowerment.