Govt, Trust Bank to launch credit programme

FE Team | Published: September 14, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

The government and Trust Bank will jointly launch a credit programme to buy laptop for the insolvent freelancers who received training under Learning and Earning Programme (LEP) to make them self-reliant.
As part of the move, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division and Trust Bank today (Sunday) at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Bank.
ICT Secretary Md Nazrul Islam Khan and Trust Bank Managing Director Istiaque Ahmed Chowdhury will sign the MoU on behalf their respective organizations. Bangladesh Bank governor Dr. Atiur Rahman will be present as chief guest at the function.
Immediately after signing of the MoU, four freelancers who were given freelancers training under ICT Division's LEP, will receive laptop worth Taka 54,500 each under the loan programme at 14 percent interest with two-year repayment period in 24 installments. As per the agreement, the ICT Division will give guarantee against the payment of laptop loan for each freelancer.
N I Khan who mooted the idea of launching a laptop loan for the freelancers said the ICT Division has developed around 20,000 freelancers so far, but many of them are insolvent and talented. The credit programme will greatly help them to buy a laptop as well as to become self-reliant, he added. N I Khan, who waits for joining as Education Secretary on September 22, said the ICT Division has planned to provide freelancer training to 70,000 more youths hopefully by this year.
"The Bangladeshi freelancers could do better if they were provided with training and other facilities. Earlier, the online market place Odesk had ranked Bangladesh 3rd in their top ten for performing in the outsourcing job," he said.
Welcoming the initiative, Country Manager of Elance-Odesk Saidur Mamun Khan said the introduction of credit programme for LEP trained freelancers to buy laptop will give a boost to capture outsourcing market. "Bangladeshi freelancers are talented and they have earned US$21 million in 2013 taking outsourcing job from Elnace-Odesk," he said.