Dhaka:A total of 18,444 applications have been submitted from eight districts under Bangladesh Bank's UDYOG programme, which aims to identify and finance promising young entrepreneurs at the grassroots level to create employment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the application process for the remaining 56 districts is set to commence on November 1, 2026, as per a press release issued by Bangladesh Bank.
During the initial activation phase, applications were received from all upazilas in eight districts representing the country's eight divisions Manikganj, Feni, Naogaon, Jhenaidah, Bhola, Habiganj, Rangpur, and Netrokona. Young entrepreneurs submitted their applications at branches of scheduled banks located in the respective upazilas between September 16 and October 15, 2026.
Preliminary data indicates that Netrokona recorded the highest number of applications at 5,351, followed by Rangpur with 2,745, Naogaon with 2,456, and Jhenaidah with 2,191. The other districts received 1,552 applications in Habiganj, 1,545 in Bhola, 1,343 in Manikganj, and 1,261 in Feni.
As part of the next phase, interested young entrepreneurs in the remaining 56 districts will be able to submit applications from November 1 to November 30, 2026. Applicants must fill out the prescribed application form and submit it to any scheduled bank branch located in their respective upazilas. The application form can be downloaded from the Bangladesh Bank website, its SME portal, and the websites of scheduled banks.
The UDYOG programme seeks to identify promising young entrepreneurs at the upazila level and facilitate financing for their ventures, with broader objectives of promoting innovation, expanding economic opportunities, and creating employment. Bangladesh Bank has sought active cooperation from all concerned to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.