Evaluating the Effectiveness of Southeast Bank’s Financial Inclusion Programs in Bangladesh

In a nutshell, this research study focuses on and emphasizes the significant contribution of Southeast Bank to strengthening and improving financial inclusion programs, and evaluates the performance of these programs, as well as the key challenges and impediments encountered by Southeast Bank while delivering financial inclusion services in recent years. There have been descriptive statistical analyses and trend growth analyses of account penetration, the total amount of SME loans disbursed from 2020 to 2023. The research study itself is a testament to Southeast Bank’s relatively impressive performance and growth in facilitating and providing basic financial services to rural and marginalized communities, which have been deprived of an inclusive and efficient financial system due to the lack of effective financial inclusion plans. The research study also sheds light on the comparatively better-performing private commercial banks, for example, BRAC Bank and MTB Bank, in the financial inclusion agenda. Hence, it is worth noting that Southeast Bank should renovate, amend, and formulate new strategies and policies to match those of well-distinguished private commercial banks in financial inclusion programs.