Bangladesh Bank plans to finance and support 5,000 young entrepreneurs every year through its new UDYOG programme, combining affordable finance with training, mentoring and market support at the upazila level. The programme is designed to identify promising young people and help them move from business ideas toward sustainable enterprises. It will initially start in 64 upazilas across eight districts, with 10 entrepreneurs selected from each upazila, creating a first group of 640 beneficiaries. The programme is then expected to expand nationally toward its annual target. Each selected entrepreneur can receive financing of up to Tk20 lakh based on actual business needs. Half of the package will be provided as a bank loan and the other half as a grant, while the customer-level interest or profit rate will range from 4 to 7 percent. No collateral will be required. This structure can reduce one of the biggest barriers facing first-time founders: access to money before they have property or a long banking history. The programme goes beyond financing. Participants are also expected to receive entrepreneurship development training, mentoring, assistance with business registration and business-plan preparation, as well as market-linkage support. These services can be as important as the money itself. A young founder may have technical skill or a good product but still need help with pricing, records, licensing or customer acquisition. Local delivery through upazilas can also make entrepreneurship support more accessible outside Dhaka. That matters because business talent exists in every district, while opportunities and networks are often concentrated in large cities. New enterprises can create local jobs and allow young people to build income closer to home. Bangladesh Bank has noted that a successful small entrepreneur may create several additional jobs, so the programme could have an employment effect beyond the selected founders. Strong implementation will require fair selection, practical training and careful monitoring of how funds are used. Businesses should be chosen for realistic potential rather than only attractive ideas. If UDYOG succeeds, it can become a useful model for combining banking, grants and founder support in one programme. Helping 5,000 young entrepreneurs each year could strengthen Bangladesh’s startup pipeline, expand small-business ownership and create new employment across a wider range of communities.
