B Mirror Desk : Community Bank Bangladesh PLC and North South University have announced a joint venture to advance the country’s young entrepreneurs. To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two institutions in the capital on Monday (August 18).

As per the agreement, the community bank will provide banking services, cash management and business consulting to entrepreneurs associated with “Startups Next” as the first project of NSU. This initiative will be implemented through the first initiative on community banks and startups – which will be considered as the first bank-led project in the country.

At the signing ceremony, North South University Vice Chancellor and Grameen Bank Chairman Professor Abdul Hannan Chowdhury and Community Bank Managing Director (Acting) Kimia Saadat handed over the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

Also present at the event were Dr. AKM Waresul Karim, Dean of the School of Business and Economics of North South University, Samuel Mursalin, Director of NSU Startups Next, Dr. Md. Ariful Islam, Head of Corporate Banking and Head of Business (Branch) of Community Bank; Mr. Md. Mamun-ur Rahman, Head of ADC and Head of MD’s Coordination Team.

After signing the agreement, Kimia Saadat said, “We are proud to work with the new generation of entrepreneurs. We are committed to providing them with the financial support, advice, and confidence they need through innovative initiatives, along with banking experience.”

In this regard, Professor Hannan Chowdhury said, “This collaboration with Community Bank will further expand the opportunities for students to become entrepreneurs. In addition, the country’s startup sector will be further strengthened if professional banking cooperation is combined with academic knowledge and innovation.”

Both institutions believe that such university-sector collaboration will add new dimensions to Bangladesh’s startup ecosystem and make the journey easier for entrepreneurs.