The rural economy in Bangladesh is facing a credit crunch as commercial banks reduce their presence in rural areas. Factors like rising production costs, inflation, and high interest rates have led to a drop in demand for credit in rural communities. According to Bangladesh Bank data, only 8.05% of bank loans were disbursed to rural areas by December 2023, compared to 91.95% in urban regions. Rural deposit portfolios have also decreased significantly. The lack of access to formal credit is affecting cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises (CMSMEs), causing them to lose market share to imported goods. Although the central bank introduced refinancing schemes to assist CMSMEs during the pandemic, these funds have been repaid, and no new schemes have been introduced.
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