BRAC Bank wins ADB award for women’s banking

BRAC Bank PLC has won the ‘Women in Business Champion Award’ at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) 12th Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program Awards, held in Singapore recently.

The recognition highlights the bank’s efforts to advance women’s economic participation by expanding access to finance, strengthening entrepreneurial capabilities and creating an enabling banking ecosystem for women-led businesses.

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The achievement reflects the contribution of BRAC Bank’s women’s banking proposition, TARA, particularly its SME Women Entrepreneur Cell.

Through targeted financial solutions, advisory support and capacity-building initiatives, the team has helped women entrepreneurs overcome barriers, formalise and expand their businesses, and contribute to employment generation and Bangladesh’s economic growth.

Farhana Sharmin Sumi, senior HR business partner of retail banking and treasury at the bank, and Zakia Jalil, head of Unit-2, corporate, commercial and institutional banking, received the award, according to a press release.

The ceremony featured ADB officials, including Keiko Nowcka, director and head of the Gender Equality Division; Steven Beck, director and head of the Trade and Supply Chain Finance Division; and Neha Noronha, unit head for South Asia within the Trade and Supply Chain Division.

Tareq Refat Ullah Khan, managing director and CEO of BRAC Bank, said the recognition reinforces the bank’s belief that empowering women entrepreneurs is fundamental to building a more inclusive and resilient economy.

“We dedicate this achievement to the thousands of women entrepreneurs whose courage and ambition continue to inspire us,” he added.