Under the government's Election Manifesto 2026, nearly 230,000 small and marginal farming families have been freed from outstanding agricultural loans through the Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (Rakub), providing significant financial relief to farmers.
According to a press release issued by Rakub on July 15, the state-owned specialised bank has become the first bank in the country to successfully implement the government's programme to repay both the principal and interest on agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000.
Under the initiative, the government paid a total of Tk 225.75 crore on behalf of 229,933 farming families, allowing them to become debt-free.
Of the total beneficiaries, 179,278 farming families in Rangpur Division received loan repayments amounting to Tk 178.92 crore, while 50,637 farming families in Rajshahi Division had loans worth Tk 46.81 crore settled by the government.
Rakub officials said the initiative would enable beneficiary farmers to reinvest in agricultural production without the burden of old debts. They expressed hope that the programme would boost farm output, improve farmers' financial resilience and contribute positively to the rural economy.
The bank's management thanked the government for introducing the farmer-friendly initiative and reaffirmed Rakub's commitment to implementing similar agricultural support programmes in the future.
