A study suggested Bangladesh Bank and the Micro-Credit Regulatory Authority (MRA) encourage the Financial Institutions (FIs) and Mobile Financial Services (MFS) to launch dedicated female desks at all branches to enhance the financial inclusion of women, reports BSS.

"The MRA should encourage MFS to build female-led branches (already underway in some cases). Bangladesh Bank should explore mandates through which more female workers are recruited and placed in the branch offices of banks," said the study report published on Monday.

It made the recommendations since it found that many women face discomfort or discouragement from their families to visit branches of FIs and MFS, especially in rural areas, but they feel more comfortable at bank branches with dedicated female desks.

The study also recommended formulating policies that ensure a certain level of female employees per branch or encourage FIs to set up a female-led branch.

It found that 85 per cent of the total labour force of Bangladesh is part of the informal sector while 92 per cent of women are engaged in the informal sector.

Sixty per cent of the female labour force is part of the agricultural sector, 17 per cent of the industrial sector, and 23 per cent of the service sector, said the report. 

According to Bangladesh Bank, the total number of entrepreneurs affiliated with banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) as of December last year was 939,131 with only 83,268 female entrepreneurs, which is only 9 per cent of the total entrepreneurs.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul