New entrepreneurs will be eligible for collateral-free loans of up to Tk10 lakh under an expanded Bangladesh Bank refinancing scheme, while startup businesses will have access to a new Tk500 crore refinancing fund at a 4% interest rate, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told parliament today (12 July).
Responding to a written question from Kurigram-3 MP Md Mahbubul Alam during the budget session of the 13th National Parliament, the finance minister outlined a series of measures aimed at improving access to finance for entrepreneurs.
He said Bangladesh Bank has increased the refinancing fund for new entrepreneurs in the cottage, micro and small enterprise sectors from Tk100 crore to Tk500 crore.
Under the scheme, new entrepreneurs can obtain collateral-free loans of up to Tk10 lakh at a maximum interest rate of 7%. Loans of up to Tk35 lakh will also be available with collateral.
The finance minister said Bangladesh Bank has also launched a separate Tk500 crore refinancing fund, named the Startup Fund, to support startup entrepreneurs. Loans from the fund will carry an interest rate of 4%.
He added that opportunities for equity investment have also been created for startups.
With the initiative of Bangladesh Bank and participation from 39 scheduled banks, Bangladesh Start-up Investment Company PLC has been formed to provide equity support to promising startups.
The minister also said a Tk1,000 crore fund, financed by Bangladesh Bank and managed through Karmasangsthan Bank, to provide low-interest loans to trained and practically experienced educated and semi-educated unemployed youths for cottage, micro and small enterprises, concluded successfully on 14 July 2025.
He said work to establish another Tk1,200 crore fund under the same initiative is now in its final stage.
According to the finance minister, these programmes will be implemented nationwide.
Cottage, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (CMSME) / startup fund
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