Rangpur:The Association for Social Advancement (ASA), an NGO, has allocated Taka 175 crore for the social security sector in Rangpur division for the current fiscal year. This marks an increase from the Taka 118 crore spent in the last fiscal year. ASA's initiatives extend beyond credit and savings to include education, healthcare, sanitation, and social development schemes.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, ASA officials shared these updates during a divisional-level consultative meeting in Rangpur city. The meeting was attended by Md Mosaddequir Rahman, Assistant Director at the Rangpur Divisional Office of the Department of Social Services, and ASA's Rangpur Divisional Manager SM Belal Hossain. Harunar Rashid Sheikh, Senior District Manager for Rangpur district, presided over the event.
In the previous fiscal year, ASA disbursed Taka 6,336 crore in loans to over 984,000 members across 435 branches in Rangpur division. The target for the 2026-2027 fiscal year is to disburse Taka 6,500 crore to nearly 994,000 members. Additionally, ASA runs educational activities in 107 branches, with 58,939 students enrolled in 1,022 centers.
Healthcare services reached 303,334 individuals through ASA's health centers last year. Physiotherapy and medical camps served 22,213 people in Rangpur, Nilphamari, and Thakurgaon districts. ASA also distributed 3,200 blankets and provided loans for sanitation projects.
The organization has implemented welfare programs, including retirement allowances, grants for deceased members' families, and loan waivers. These efforts were entirely funded by ASA's resources, with calls for expanding the scope of these programs in the future.