12 YEARS OF PDBF PM to open programme

Dhaka, July 8 (bdnews24.com)—Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate a programme marking 12 years of Palli Daridro Bimochon Foundation (PDBF) on Saturday.

The programme will begin at 10am at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, rural development and cooperatives secretary Mihir Kanti Mojumder told a media briefing at the National Press Club on Friday.

The prime minister will also hand over awards to the 'most successful' beneficiaries, meritorious poor students and the best officials of the organisation, he said.

LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam, state minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanok and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry Mohammad Rahmat Ali will also be present at the programme.

Mojumder said the government-run organisation, incepted in 2000, has been working for the elimination of rural poverty by ensuring social development, men-women equality and women's empowerment.

PDBF managing director Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman and other officials attended the briefing.

Starting its activities in 139 upazilas, PDBF has now spread over 208 upazilas and has 253 branch offices, the secretary said.

In the last fiscal year, it disbursed Tk 4.6 billion worth of microcredit among some 700,000 beneficiaries for cattle rearing and fish and vegetable farming, which, he said, benefited some 3.5 million poor people.

"Small entrepreneurship loans worth Tk 2.3 billion would be disbursed this fiscal," he said.

Until now, Mojumder said, savings of the PDBF beneficiaries stood at Tk 1.85 billion.

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