6 microentrepreneurs, 2 micro-lenders win Citi awards

Six microentrepreneurs and two micro-lenders have won Citi awards for creating jobs for themselves and for others as well as helping small borrowers. M Abdul Mannan, state minister for finance and planning, handed over the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards among the winners at Sonargaon Hotel in the city Saturday night. Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman distributed the prize money and Rashed Maqsood, country officer of Citibank NA Bangladesh, handed over the certificates.Samsad Akter from Baliadangi in Thakurgaon won a trophy as the Best Microentrepreneur of the Year in recognition of her long struggle against poverty. Samsad set up a factory to produce mattresses in 2005 and developed women entrepreneurship. Apart from the trophy, Samsad received Tk 0.45 million as prize money. In the same category,  Samirunnahar Begum from Shaymnagar in Satkhira became the runner-up and won Tk 0.1 million as prize money. Roksana Begum from Bhaluka in Mymensingh was recognised as the Best Woman Microentrepreneur of the Year, for setting up a paper cone making factory. Zahira Begum from Mela Kochukata, Nilphamari became the runner-up in the same category, and won Tk 0.1 million as prize money. Md Somed Fakir from Taltoli from Borguna was honoured as the Best Microentrepreneur of the Year in Agriculture for riding out of the poverty trap through fish farming and producing oil from his own coconut trees and selling them in the market. Anju Sarker from Kashobpur in Jessore received the award as the runner-up in the same category. Manabik Shahajya Sangstha won the award in the Best Microfinance Institution of the Year category and received Tk 0.3 million in prize money. Sajida Foundation won the award as the Most Innovative Microfinance Institution of the Year. Rokia Afzal Rahman, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dhaka (MCCI) who announced the name of winners in each category, thanked the winners on behalf of the jury board, according to a statement of Citi.