DHAKA, Dec 31 (NNN-UNB) – Planning Minister, MA Mannan said, Bangladesh is trying to come out of the cycle of debt, caused by loans from foreign entities, particularly the World Bank (WB).
“When we take loan from WB, the people think we are nothing and WB is the owner of the world – that’s not true. We want to exit from such alms,” Mannan said.
Credit and Development Forum (CDF), organised an event titled “Impact Assessment of Financial Inclusion through MFI’s in Bangladesh and an Assessment of the Credit Programme for Sharecroppers implemented by BRAC under refinancing scheme of Bangladesh Bank.”
Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB) and Dr Mohammad Mahfuz Kabir, researcher of BIISS read out keynote papers in the event.
Mannan said, income disparity between rich and poor has jumped very high in the country.
“The gap between lower- and higher-income level people jumped vastly but the pain of hunger has been reduced,” the planning minister said.
Quoting Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, Mannan said, a science and technology university is being built at Sunamganj, home to a number of Haors (Bengalis), where inhabitants are deprived of many facilities.
The planning minister also said, the government’s programme of subsidising “seeds, fertiliser, pesticide and others” made it a participant in farmers’ output.
Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed, chairman of Palli Karma-Shahayak Foundation (PKSF), presided over the function.
He said financial inclusion is important for sustainable development. “We need to expand our services to widen the country’s development,” he added.– NNN-UNB