The bank has categorised the SME loan into two products--'Asha' and 'Puji', says a press release.

'Asha' offers Tk two lakh to Tk 10 lakh loan, which is repayable in three to 24 months in equal instalments. A sole proprietorship business, partnership firm or a private company operating successfully for minimum two years can apply for it, which does not need a collateral security.

For 'Puji', the loan amount ranges from Tk five lakh to Tk 50 lakh, which is repayable in 12 to 36 months. The minimum operation period of the business organisation to get this loan is three years.

The EBL's SME banking facility will be available at nine SME centers in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Bogra and Khulna.

Muhammad A Rumee Ali, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, formally launched the two products at a function where K Mahmood Sattar, EBL managing director and CEO, Ali Reza Iftekhar, additional managing director, and Kamal Talukder, head of SME banking of the EBL, among others, were present.