In line with the BNP government’s election manifesto, the interest and principal on loans owed by 2,29,933 small and marginal farmers in northern Bangladesh have been waived.
Iftekhar Zahid, public relations officer of the Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB), gave the information on Wednesday (15 July).
RAKUB, the country’s first specialised bank, granted the waiver within six months of the government taking office. This large number of farmers owed Tk 225,74,99,000 in principal and interest — bad loans that they had long been unable to repay.
Under the announcement, the bank waived Tk 10,000 of principal and all outstanding interest for each of these farmers; loans above Tk 10,000 did not come under the programme.
Iftekhar Zahid said Tk 178,92,48,000 owed by 1,79,278 marginal farmers across the eight districts of the northern Rangpur division, and Tk 46,81,39,000 owed by 50,637 farmers across the eight districts of Rajshahi division, had been waived.
The government’s Finance Ministry recently paid RAKUB the Tk 225,74,99,000 owed by these 2,29,933 farmers of the two northern divisions, after which RAKUB waived the Tk 10,000 principal and all the interest on these small and marginal farmers’ loans.
Those concerned said the farmers who benefited would, freed from a long-standing debt burden, get a chance to invest afresh in farming. RAKUB officials hope this will boost agricultural output, improve farmers’ financial capacity and have a positive effect on the rural economy of the north.
RAKUB’s management expressed gratitude and thanks to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for the waiver of the overdue loans and interest of the indebted small and marginal farmers, saying the bank had followed the set process to complete the programme in the shortest possible time and pledging to stand by farmers in future through various farmer-friendly programmes. It has been learned that, besides RAKUB, other state-owned commercial and specialised banks will begin the process of waiving indebted farmers’ overdue loans and interest.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report