Written by The Banking Post
A month-long entrepreneurship development training program concluded in Mymensingh, jointly organized by Bangladesh Bank and NCC Bank PLC under the Skills for Industry Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (SICIP). The initiative, implemented by the Finance Division of the Ministry of Finance with ADB funding, aimed to build business capacity and expand access to finance for aspiring entrepreneurs.
At the closing ceremony, participants received certificates and loans following their successful completion of the program. Md. Kawsar Matin, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank’s Mymensingh office, attended as the chief guest and handed over certificates and honorarium cheques to 25 entrepreneurs.
Md. Zakir Anam, Deputy Managing Director of NCC Bank, distributed loan sanction letters worth BDT 3.9 million among 23 trained entrepreneurs. Other key attendees included Md. Nazrul Islam, Program Director of SICIP and Additional Director of SMESPD; Md. Ayub Ali, Joint Director of SICIP; and senior NCC Bank officials Sharif Mohammad Mahsin, A.K.M. Badrul Hasan, and Mohammad Faizur Rahman.
Following the ceremony, an Entrepreneur Fair was inaugurated, where trainees showcased their business ideas and products across various stalls.
Speaking at the event, the chief guest said the initiative would help foster new entrepreneurs and promote inclusive economic growth, urging participants to apply their new skills to expand their ventures.
Md. Nazrul Islam noted that the training’s main goal was to prepare entrepreneurs for easier access to finance, while Md. Zakir Anam emphasized NCC Bank’s ongoing role in entrepreneurship development, especially among women and marginalized communities.
Out of the 25 trained entrepreneurs, 18 were women, reflecting the program’s focus on inclusive growth. The initiative is expected to strengthen local entrepreneurship and enable small businesses to gain from low-cost financing and improved financial literacy.
