BB asks banks to give fresh loans to flood-hit farmers

Bangladesh Bank (BB) Thursday in a circular asked all banks to accelerate their loan disbursement process along with sanctioning fresh loans to the farmers, badly affected by the recent flooding in 21 districts, reports BSS.
The districts include Kurigram, Nilphamary, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Bogra, Sirajgonj, Tangail, Sherpur, Netrokona, Dhaka, Munsigonj, Manikgonj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Sunamgonj, Sylthet and Bhola.
"The central bank has directed all scheduled banks to speed up their credit activities besides sanctioning fresh loans in the flood affected areas so the farmers can get back to crop production to offset their loss to the natural calamity," BB General Manager for Agricultural Credit and Financial Inclusion Department Provas Chandra Mallik told the  news agency.
Referring to the BB's latest circular, he said the banks were instructed to sanction fresh loans for transplanted aman, maize, pulses, oilseeds, spices and other import substitute crops and fisheries.
BB also advised the banks to monitor closely the loan disbursement process among flood-hit farmers so they do not face any problem in getting financial supports. Besides, the banks were asked to submit the progress reports on the credit activities including disbursement of fresh loans in the flood-hit areas by October 20.