Grameen Bank

Grameen Bank is a pioneering microfinance and specialized community development bank based in Bangladesh. The name "Grameen" translates to "Rural" or "Village" in Bengali, reflecting the bank's core mission of serving rural communities.

Established as a statutory public authority, Grameen Bank provides small loans (known as microcredit or "grameencredit") to impoverished individuals without requiring traditional collateral. The bank is predominantly owned by its borrowers, most of whom are poor women, making it a unique model of financial inclusion.

As of October 2025, Grameen Bank serves approximately 10.80 million borrower members across Bangladesh, with 97% being women. The bank has disbursed over $40.98 billion in cumulative loans since its inception and maintains an exceptional recovery rate of 95.53%.