Bangladesh Bank- NCC Bank train entrepreneurs under SICIP

A month-long entrepreneurship development training programme concluded in Mymensingh, organised by Bangladesh Bank in collaboration with NCC Bank PLC under the Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (SICIP).

The initiative is implemented by the Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

At the closing ceremony, certificates were distributed among 25 trained entrepreneurs, while loans were sanctioned and disbursed to support their ventures.

Md Kawsar Matin, executive director of Bangladesh Bank, Mymensingh Office, attended as chief guest and handed over certificates and honorarium cheques to the participants. Md Nazrul Islam, Programme Director of SICIP and Additional Director of SMESPD, Bangladesh Bank (Dhaka), and Md Ayub Ali, Joint Director and Deputy Programme Director of SICIP, were present as special guests.

Md Zakir Anam, Deputy Managing Director of NCC Bank, presided over the event and handed over loan sanction letters amounting to Tk 39 lakh to 23 of the trained entrepreneurs. The ceremony was also attended by Sharif Mohammad Mahsin, senior vice-president and head of SME; A K M Badrul Hasan, regional head of Mymensingh; and Mohammad Faizur Rahman, head of business and branch of Mymensingh Branch, along with senior officials of NCC Bank.

The programme concluded with an Entrepreneur Fair, inaugurated through a cake-cutting ceremony, where participants showcased their products across various stalls.

Speaking at the event, the chief guest, Md Kawsar Matin, said the initiative aims to foster new entrepreneurs and accelerate inclusive economic growth. He thanked NCC Bank and other stakeholders for their collaboration and encouraged participants to utilise their newly acquired knowledge to expand their businesses.

Md Nazrul Islam said the training was designed to help entrepreneurs become eligible for financing, expressing confidence that the participants would now be able to access credit more effectively.

In his speech, Md Zakir Anam stated that NCC Bank has been actively promoting entrepreneurship under the SICIP project through training and capacity building. He added that the bank is also supporting women entrepreneurs and marginalised communities to ensure inclusive economic development.

Of the 25 entrepreneurs trained under the programme, 18 were women. Zakir Anam expressed hope that the initiative would strengthen entrepreneurs' access to low-cost financing and improve their financial management capabilities.