BRAC Bank expands support for women entrepreneurs

BRAC Bank continues to create pathways for women to thrive as economic contributors and leaders through initiatives that support women entrepreneurs, expand financial literacy, and foster an inclusive workplace.

Women’s access to finance and their growing role in entrepreneurship and professional life have remained central to BRAC Bank’s journey since its inception, said a press release.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, BRAC Bank celebrates the women of, at, and associated with the bank whose ambition, resilience, and achievements continue to shape a more inclusive financial landscape.

Through its women-focused banking platform TARA, BRAC Bank has steadily expanded women’s participation in formal finance, facilitating savings, digital banking, and responsible borrowing, the release said.

By the end of 2025, the platform served over 336,000 women customers, reflecting a 22% year-on-year (YoY) growth. These customers hold more than 466,000 accounts, while deposits reached approximately Tk12,968 crore, up 38.7% from the previous year.

Women now contribute 31% of the bank’s total retail deposits. The retail lending portfolio for women reached Tk1,386 crore in 2025, growing by more than 40% YoY, while over 20,000 women accessed retail loans. Credit card issuance to women rose to nearly 29,500 cards.

More than 200,000 women are now registered on Astha, the bank’s digital platform. The Homemaker Account allows women without formal income documentation to open accounts in their own names, extending financial inclusion to previously excluded segments.

TARA’s ecosystem complements broader SME initiatives by providing access to credit, enterprise support, and market linkages.

The WSME lending portfolio for women reached Tk2,608 crore in 2025, growing more than 22% YoY, while deposits increased 67% YoY to Tk2,873 crore.

BRAC Bank currently serves more than 130,000 WSMEs and holds 23% of the total private commercial banks’ WSME lending portfolio.

The bank supported women-led businesses nationwide. Branch-level training programmes across 64 districts engaged nearly 1,900 women entrepreneurs, providing guidance on business documentation, banking services, and business management. About 25% of participants accessed loans, while over 60% formalised transactions by opening accounts.

The Amrai TARA initiative delivered intensive training in 10 districts, including Narayanganj, Chattogram, Mymensingh, and Khagrachari, engaging 300 women entrepreneurs in practical business management and digital marketing.

The Uddokta 101 accelerator, in collaboration with Dhaka University, BRAC University, Daffodil International University, East West University, and Chattogram Independent University, trained 263 women in 2025, offering mentorship, practical modules, and opportunities to showcase products at campus trade fairs.

To support market access, the TARA Uddokta Mela in Dhaka showcased products from 85 women entrepreneurs, generating Tk1.4 crore in direct sales and Tk26 lakh in pre-orders, with QR transactions exceeding Tk16 lakh.

The UddogTARA accelerator also provided digital training for more than 250 participants in branding, photography, accounting tools, and online marketing.

Female representation in the non-sales workforce at BRAC Bank reached 25% in 2025. The women’s leadership development programme ELEA offered high-potential women structured leadership training and mentoring, with the first cohort comprising 24 participants.

BRAC Bank also launched “Women Beyond Boundaries”, a networking initiative where female leaders from across industries engage in conversations that encourage women employees to pursue leadership ambitions and broaden their professional horizons.

Employee support has been strengthened with a post-maternity return-to-work programme, offering reintegration support, medical guidance, flexible arrangements, and counselling. The bank also introduced a professional certification reimbursement policy, covering 75–100% of costs for women employees.

BRAC Bank introduced the Antibias@Workplace drive to address conscious and unconscious bias and foster a more equitable and inclusive work environment where women can thrive and progress.

The bank’s day-care facility, previously limited to the head office, expanded to additional locations in 2025, supporting employees in balancing work and family responsibilities. BRAC Bank also enforces a Sexual Harassment Elimination (SHE) Policy, reflecting zero tolerance for workplace harassment.

Through its CSR initiatives, 807 female students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds received the Aporajeyo TARA Scholarship. About 342 athletes from all eight divisions showcased their talent at the Aporajeyo Alo Women’s Hockey Tournament.

The Aporajeyo Ami initiative trained 44 women with hearing and speech impairments in sewing skills, 56 women with disabilities in digital and marketing skills, and helped more than 40,000 women regain eyesight through free screenings, cataract surgeries, and optical services.

Commenting on the milestones, Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, managing director and CEO of BRAC Bank, said:

“As women gain access to banking, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, the impact extends beyond households to strengthen local economies. Through TARA, SME training, leadership programmes, and CSR initiatives, BRAC Bank continues to invest in access and opportunity, enabling women to fully participate in Bangladesh’s economic progress and reinforcing the bank’s role as a driver of inclusive growth.”