Citibank NA Bangladesh yesterday honoured three individuals and one institution in recognition of their efforts to start from the scratch and change their lives and the people around them through creativity and job creation.
Tajnahar Begum from Dhaka received the 'Best Microentrepreneur of the Year' award as she almost single handedly started a tyre repairing shop and gave it a strong foundation within a decade.
Mirza Morsheda Akhter from Tangail was named the 'Best Woman Microentrepreneur of the Year'. She set up a mushroom farm that gives both her and her employees a decent living.
Md Answer Ali from Bogra won the 'Best Microentrepreneur of the Year in Agriculture' award after he changed his fortune by cultivating 20 types of largely foreign vegetable.
The Jagorani Chakra Foundation received award in the 'Best Microfinance Institution' category. The non-government financial institution has changed lives of hundreds of thousands in about 20 districts through microfinance programmes.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman handed the awards among the winners at a ceremony at Ruposhi Bangla hotel in the city.
In addition to the award plaque, each winner received prize money worth Tk 350,000 each and a certificate.
Funded by Citi Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Citigroup, and jointly managed by Citibank NA and the Credit and Development Forum (CDF), the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards is designed to recognise individuals and microfinance institutions.
Speaking as the chief guest, Muhith said, apart from recognising their skills, the entrepreneurs should also be honoured.
“They (NGOs) are contributing to the development of the country through innovation and creativity,” he said, lauding the role of the NGOs.
The BB governor said the effort of microfinance institutions is noteworthy as they are helping create self-employment, particularly in the rural areas.
He said the central bank has taken various steps to increase credit flow to agriculture, small and medium enterprises and environment-friendly projects, which aim at supporting the country's small farmers, sharecroppers, small businessmen, microentrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs and the society's disadvantaged group.
“These activities supplement the government's effort to ensure inclusive growth. It is a good sign that the microcredit organisations have joined our effort.”
The governor also said the government would not be able to alleviate poverty alone. “It's possible to make the country poverty-free with the help of the private sector.”
Parveen Mahmud, president of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh, said the microcredit operations have created many entrepreneurs in the country.
“As a result, the sector has become bigger and thousands of people are working at the grassroot level. The government should maintain this conducive environment,” she said.
Citi Country Officer Rashed Maqsood and CDF Executive Director Md Abdul Awal also spoke.
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has established a strong presence in Bangladesh. It now has four branches, four service outlets and employs over 180 people in the country.
Leading dailies The Daily Star and the Prothom Alo and private television station Channel i were the media partners of the annual award now in its sixth year.