Coming down heavily on the big loan defaulters, Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman said some big shots drew Tk 200-300 crore loans in the past and are not bothered about the repayments.

Interestingly, he went on, no strong actions are taken against them. Authorities, on the other hand, take tough action against the small entrepreneurs if they are defaulters, the minister said.

The minister was speaking at Bangladesh Shilpa Bank's (BSB) award giving ceremony to award 21 ideal loan recipients for the FY2004-05 for paying their instalments timely.

The 21 awardees form different parts of the country took lower to medium range loans for establishing spinning mills, clinics, rice mills, fabrics and textile mills and agro-based industries.

However, Saifur is optimistic about the new generation entrepreneurs who, he said, are quite promising and industrious.

He urged the bank authorities to provide more syndicate loan as it is easy to reclaim.

The minister also thanked the loan recipients for their timely repayments.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Salehuddin Ahmed and Finance Secretary Siddiqur Rahman also attended the function with BSB Chairman Prof Abu Ahmed in the chair..

Since the establishment in 1972, BSB disbursed Tk 1,562.76 crore as loan and recovered Tk 2,040.91 crore with interests as till June 30, 2005.

For the FY2005-06, the bank has approved Tk 200 crore. It already disbursed loan of Tk 125 crore and recovered Tk 120 crore.