Chapter 1: Introduction

SME finance is the funding of small and medium sized enterprises, and represents a major function of the general business finance market – in which capital for different types of firms are supplied, acquired, and costed or priced. Capital is supplied through the business finance market in the form of bank loans and overdrafts; leasing and hire-purchase arrangements; equity/corporate bond issues; venture capital or private equity; and asset-based finance such as factoring and invoice discounting. Small & Medium Enterprises, commonly known as SMEs, are relating to three types of sectors,( Service, Business & Industry ) typically labor intensive industries with relatively low capital intensity. For a country like Bangladesh where labor is abundant and capital scarce, SME plays a significant role in employment generation, poverty reduction and overall economic growth of our country.

SMEs may not always have the same access to banks and financial institutions as larger firms. Banks are reluctant to expand their SME credit portfolio because lending to SMEs was not considered to be attractive and profitable undertaking. SMEs are regarded as high risk borrowers because of their low capitalization, insufficient assets and inability to comply with collateral requirements of the banks. Administrative costs are also higher because of close monitoring and supervision and credit management of the SME portfolio. Despite all these facts, banks and financial institutions, particularly those in the private sector, have been providing finance to the SMEs and the overall SME portfolio is on the increase.

Standard Chartered Bank started its SME financing program in September 2003. It was known as Business Financial Services or BFS. Under BFS, SCB offered a number of products – installment loans, overdraft facilities; guarantee etc. Installment Loan, which