ASA Dhaka Bangladesh

/
ASABangladesh.jpg

Current issue surrounding micro finance in Bangladesh:

[one_half] [img style="frame"]http://www.blakeleyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/asa1.jpg[/img] [/one_half] [one_half_last]

  • As the market of micro-finance becomes more mature, competition becomes more intensified among major MFIs such as BRAC, Grameen Bank, ASA and others.
  • According to one ASA senior staff, about 500 MFIs are engaged in micro-finance in Bangladesh.
  • Against a backdrop of overheated competition, ‘’overlapping borrowing issues’’ among MFIs and borrowers has also become apparent.
  • As the number of heavily indebted borrower increases, the number of non-performing loans has been growing rapidly.

[/one_half_last]

Lessons Learned:

  • The percentage of overlapping borrowers were 20% in Rajshahi and 33% in Comilla, which indicates that ‘’overlapping borrowing issues’’ are quite serious in Bangladesh.
  • There was a trend that overlapping borrowers using more than three MFIs or entities were likely to fall behind their payment. (Or become overdue borrowers)
  • Also, there was a tendency that overlapping borrowers who did not invest their money into IGAs(Income Generating activities) were likely to fall behind their payment.

My suggestions to ASA

  • To improve the skill of credit analysis among loan officers.
  • To make its loan system more flexible to fully satisfy the demand of the clients.
  • To take an initiative to start a information sharing activities with other major MFIs such as BRAC and Grameen Bank.

[h3]Yasuhiko, [br] Blakeley Fellow 2010 [/h3]