The role of RDS in the development of women entrepreneurship under Islamic micro finance: A case study of Bangladesh

The Rural Development Scheme (RDS), a shari’a based model of poverty alleviation program, is used by the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) to provide micro finance services to mainly poor women of the rural areas of Bangladesh. By using a survey, the basic characteristics of women entrepreneurs in an Islamic perspective are identified in this paper and the paper verifies those characteristics of the women entrepreneurs associated with RDS. Regarding the development of women entrepreneurship, some grass-root level experiences from the RDS are presented along with the policy prescriptions for renewing the role of the RDS in the development of woman entrepreneurship in Bangladesh.