A strong push to help new businesses took shape when NRBC Bank handed over a sizeable cheque to Bangladesh Bank to support the country’s startup investment fund. The bank’s managing director and chief executive, Md Touhidul Alam Khan, presented the payment to Nawshad Mustafa, director of the SME and Special Programmes Department, in a brief ceremony attended by senior officials from both organisations including Tanusree Mitra and Sk Ahsanul Haque. The contribution, totalling BDT 70,574,420, is part of measures taken under Bangladesh Bank’s directives for the formation and operation of Bangladesh Startup Investment Company PLC. NRBC Bank said the donation shows a steady commitment to backing the startup scene and to helping small teams turn ideas into real services and products. Bank leaders said the fund will help promising startups get the early capital and practical support they need so they can test ideas, hire small teams and reach customers faster. Officials from Bangladesh Bank welcomed the support and said such contributions help shape a stronger investment vehicle that can back a wider range of new firms across sectors. The handover also highlighted how private banks and public institutions can work together to grow an ecosystem where ideas can find finance, advice and market links. The presence of credit and SME leaders at the event showed how banks can play practical roles beyond lending by offering mentoring, training and connections to industry partners. For young founders, the development means more chances to seek grants, co-investment or follow-on financing as their projects reach milestones and need larger sums. For the wider economy, backers said a more active startup sector can create jobs, bring useful services to people, and encourage firms to use new technologies and business models. The bank and the central bank noted that clear rules, transparent governance and steady funding will make investment vehicles work better and attract more partners over time. Observers said steady and fair support from the financial sector helps reduce early barriers that many small teams face, such as building credit history and managing cash flow while growing. The handover was presented as a practical step in a longer push to join public and private efforts in support of homegrown innovation, rather than a one-off gesture. Organisers said they will continue to work with other banks, investors and training bodies so entrepreneurs can get both money and practical help, and they hope the move will encourage more sustained backing for startups that benefit local communities. It should inspire similar commitments and back training, incubation, networking and small grants so founders can test ideas, refine plans, build sustainable firms, create jobs, deepen skills, and supply useful products for local and export markets over the coming years.
