Bank Asia stands by micro-merchants

Bank Asia Limited has provided smartphones and biometric devices to 2,679 micro-merchants, especially women entrepreneurs, in Kishoreganj, aiming to accelerate their capacity-building, enhance sustainable empowerment and step up banking service delivery in and around their communities.

Abul Kalam Azad, deputy commissioner of Kishoreganj, handed over the devices at a function held at the Shilpakala Academy in the district recently, read a press release.

Ziaul Hasan, deputy managing director of the bank, presided over the programme, styled "Nari Uddyogta Unnayane Arthik Antorvukti".

The smartphones and biometric devices were provided to women entrepreneurs as tools for business development.

Based on the progress in business and merchant activities, they will be offered necessary loans.

Bank Asia provided the devices to 800 women micro-merchants under a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Currently, the bank has around 58,000 micro-merchants across the country who are extending banking support to people living in remote geographical locations and disbursing government-provided social safety-net payments to beneficiaries.

Among others, Kamruzzaman Khan, deputy director of the social welfare directorate, and Md Mamun Ur Rashid, deputy commissioner of women affairs directorate, were present.