The UN Capital Development Fund and Business Finance for the Poor in Bangladesh (BFP-B) jointly organized the Digital Finance Consultative Group (DFCG) regional consultation on ‘National Financial Inclusion Strategy for Bangladesh (NFIS-B): Insights from Sylhet Regional Stakeholders’ on 03 June 2018 in Sylhet, Bangladesh. NFIS-B has been drafted by the BFP-B project, which is implemented by Bangladesh Bank and supported by DFID. The purpose of the consultation was to understand the views and expectations of regional stakeholders on the draft NFIS report. Around 90 participants from government, banks, MNOs, MFS, academicians took part to the consultation.

Mr. Arijit Chowdhury, Additional Secretary, Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance kindly attended the consultation as the Chief Guest. Mr. Md. Nazimuddin, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Head office, Mr. Md. Shah Alam, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Sylhet, Mr. Manoj Kumar Biswas, General Manager, Sustainable Finance Department of Bangladesh Bank and Deputy Project Director, Ms. Afsana Islam, Private Sector Adviser of DFID Bangladesh, attended as special guests.

The government of Bangladesh has undertaken drafting national financial inclusion strategy for Bangladesh (NFIS-B) with the support of DFID through Business Finance for the Poor- Bangladesh (BFP-B) Programme. UNCDF is facilitating consultations among public and private sector stakeholders on the draft findings at this stage. UNCDF will also extend technical supports to the Bangladesh Bank and the Government of Bangladesh for implementing NFIS-B after finalization of the strategy. The NFIS-B would be a comprehensive national roadmap to promote access to financial services for the excluded and unbanked population. NFIS-B would also largely contribute to achieve the long term national goals like ‘Vision 2021’ and a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.