Her success, our strategy

Ahsan Zamam Chowdhury
Managing Director and CEO
Trust Bank PLC

A woman’s financial future is her own. We provide collateral-free loans without spousal guarantees, ensuring access to finance is never contingent on male relatives.

Trust Bank PLC marks this year Women’s Day by prioritising female-led growth. In this interview with the Daily Star, the Managing Director and CEO Ahsan Zamam Chowdhury explains how by bypassing collateral barriers and spousal guarantees, the bank transforms regulatory mandates into a strategic pillar for national economic empowerment and inclusive, long-term prosperity.

The Daily Star (TDS): What led to Trust Bank’s decision to build a dedicated women’s portfolio?

Ahsan Zamam Chowdhury (AZC): It starts with conviction. While Bangladesh Bank mandates dedicated desks, we chose to go well beyond compliance. Women represent half the population and a fast-growing share of entrepreneurial talent. This segment is now a core pillar of our SME strategy, targeting 27% lending by 2029.

TDS: What does the portfolio look like today in actual numbers?

AZC: Women account for 25% of our total depositor base. On the lending side, our portfolio is scaling consistently across manufacturing and trading. Crucially, our women-focused NPL ratios outperform much of our broader book, proving that when credit is designed properly, women demonstrate superior repayment discipline.

TDS: Which products are most popular among your women clients?

AZC: Trust Sristi is our flagship savings account, while Trust Nondini offers transformative financing. Use cases range from boutiques and agro-processing to equipment loans for beauty services. We provide up to BDT 25 lakhs without collateral at a capped 5% rate, without requiring spousal guarantees.

TDS: How has this segment grown over the past five years?

AZC: Growth has been substantial; women’s deposit volumes more than doubled while SME customers increased at double-digit rates. Remarkably, NPLs in this segment declined even as the customer base expanded. This validates our investment and reflects the rigorous commitment of women to their financial obligations.

TDS: How does the refinancing architecture support your operations?

AZC: We actively use the Small Enterprise Refinance Scheme. This enabling policy allows us to offer affordable finance at a 5% customer rate. Furthermore, cash incentives for timely-repaying borrowers create a virtuous cycle that encourages more lending and higher asset quality across our portfolio.

TDS: What are the biggest remaining barriers and how are you addressing them?

AZC: Limited collateral and low registration rates are structural hurdles. We address these by accepting personal guarantees, simplifying KYC, and providing mentorship. Most importantly, we accommodate informal businesses without spousal guarantees, ensuring a woman’s financial future remains entirely her own.

Interview conducted by Tagabun Taharim Titun