Small and Medium Investment Project

Housing Project, Fisheries Project, Transportation Project, Modern workshop project, Advanced modern shopping mall project, Institute for modern education management, Flat, House, Car, Industrial factory.
Poultry farm, Dairy farm, Rice mill, Pharmacy, Hospital, Show-room.
In this course of events different stakeholder’s were engaged however intensity of engagement with target households were comparatively low; engagement with general members of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was done during annual general meeting; however there were appetite by the members to go for a follow up discussion which was also organized later. One of the limitations in this process was inability to accurately predict donor fund flow in next five years so this was done on the basis of last five years trend at Tropical Commerce Company Ltd and other one was non engagement of an OD specialist who could lead to better organization and write up of entire document.

POVERTY

 Bangladesh is a country of 160 million. Although Bangladesh is progressing on the road to reducing its poverty however still about 47 million people (31.5%) in Bangladesh remains under poverty. It is also now a common observation that despite economic recession at the west, Bangladesh economy has been growing at the rate of average 6 percent per annum for last ten years.

EXTREME POVERTY

Out of the above, 26 million remains in extreme poverty Bangladesh is also faced with the challenge of rising inequality.

There is a widespread concern that economic growth has not been shared fairly, and that the current crisis would further widen the gap between the rich and the poor. The inequality in income has increased from 0.451 in 2000 to 0.458 in 2010 with a rate of escalation by 0.16 per cent. Unequal pattern of growth has a weaker poverty alleviating effect and has also been shown to be harmful to growth. Moreover, inequality affects persistence of poverty. Apart from the above it is also observed that government spending for education and health care is reducing. Market driven philosophy is restricting to move for more universal access to social services. Above is bringing sufferings for the poor people and a slow rate of poverty reduction in Bangladesh. Besides the above, climate problems are also perpetuating poverty; this is evident from shortage of food production, pollution of water bodies, salinity of river and shallow water levels and shortage of sweet and clean water. These are especially evident  Barisal and Khulna divisions in relation to frequency of disasters and environmental challenges that are more acutely faced by these regions. Apart from that vast majority of poor remain voiceless and powerless and hence from a political economy angle they are not able to influence the necessary political, economic and social gain in their f

URBANIZATION

Bangladesh is getting urbanized rapidly. As per predictions about fifty percent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2030. Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are main engines of growth. There are 300 towns where population is between 50,000 to 300000. However service for the urban poor is neglected. No  safety net  service  for the urban poor  is  available.  Water  and Sanitation service in urban poor settlement is in dismal conditions. No fecal sludge management service is in place. Bangladesh needs to consider strong support for basic services in secondary towns.

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION

Population  growth  has  been  slowed  down  in  last  decade  and  this  is  specifically  observed  that population growth now is at 1.4% per annum. Estimated contraceptive prevalence rate is now 61% in Bangladesh (2011) besides that Total Fertility Rate is 2.3 children per woman. Above indicates that Bangladesh is moving towards a replacement level. (Total fertility rate at which women would have only enough children to replace themselves and their partner. The replacement fertility rate is roughly 2.1 births per woman for most industrialized nations). Bangladesh is also going to get advantage of larger section of young work force (16-64 years of age) in comparison to dependant population in the country (under 15 years of age). These demographic patterns will provide Bangladesh a “demography dividend” to reduce its poverty in an accelerated rate. It is also mentionable that average life expectancy has also reached the  level of  69.  An increased number of  young work  forces  are  entering the  market out numbering the child age group.

HEALTH CARE

Bangladesh has achieved progress in reaching its population with basic primary health care; MMR is 1.9 per 1000 live births and IMR is 48 per 1000 live birth. National immunization rate is above 84 %. However extreme poor population both in urban and rural areas are not able to take advantage of the government run health systems and other service providers are limited in number and remain available only in cities and towns.In Nutrition front basic challenge is BMI of women of child bearing age; about 25% of mothers are suffering from malnutrition and children (22%) are suffering from wasting and stunting. About 22%, of Bangladesh children is born with low birth weight which is highest in the world. These children are at risk of death or severe impairment of growth and development. (ICCDDR, B, State of Food Security in Bangladesh, 2010)

AGRICULTURE

Despite decline in Agriculture cultivable land Bangladesh has done considerably well and production of Rice, wheat and maize has been tremendously increased. Bangladesh has 8.44 million hectares of arable land as of 2010 (DAE). It was possible for Bangladesh farmers to use irrigation, mechanization and modern farming practices to produce more than 35 million tons of rice along with 0.1 million tons of wheat in 2011, sufficient to feed its 160 million people. As a result for the first time in its history it was possible for Bangladesh to refrain from food grain imports.

However in future, the growth in food production is likely to be slow down because of climatic and demographic changes and price unpredictability may engulf the nation in the coming years.

LITERACY

Overall literacy rate is 56.5% where men are 62% and female is 51 percent. Literacy rates are low in hard to reach remote and poverty pockets of Bangladesh such as urban slums, wet land areas, Chittagong Hill tracts and the coastal belt.

According  to  Education  for  All  Global  Monitoring  Report  of  UNESCO  (2011)  in  Bangladesh  girl’s enrollment is higher than boys. For last twenty years girl’s education is free up to SSC. Above is bringing positive dividends for the country and society at large.

WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE

Bangladesh is blessed with abundance of natural underground sweet water reserves, however country is still  preparing  itself  to  understand  and  quantify  reserve  of  these  precious  resource;  above  is fundamental and critical to continue livelihoods in this densely populated country.  Bangladesh has achieved universal access to safe drinking water supply; however Arsenic contamination of its ground water beyond permissible limit is badly affecting 20 million populations in the country.

Because of regular campaign and government initiative Sanitation coverage has increased and as per JMP open defecation has reduced from 40.3% in 2003 to 4 % in 2012.   WASH sector financing gap is about 600 million USD (SDP GoB 2011-2025). Another major problem that has emerged is pollution of river and water bodies and contamination of underground aquifer by chemical and human fecal pollutants. Treatment of waste water is virtually nonexistent in the country and government is not showing any interest in decentralized fecal sludge management or treatment of waste water. Another emerging problem is there are 300 hundred secondary towns in Bangladesh and they shall be increasingly facing the problem of water supply and Sanitation and Bangladesh so far remains unprepared to meet above challenge.

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Bangladesh has strongly progressed all this years in building its capacity and resilience of its population in connection with disaster risk reduction. In 1970 more than 300,000 people were killed by a cyclone that hit the country at that time. However during Sidr death toll was less than 3500 and during Aila it was  little  above  than  100.  In  this  year’s  Bangladesh  became  a  success  story  in  relation  to  its preparedness to face natural disasters with less mortality of its vulnerable poor population.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Recent world environment report identified Bangladesh as most vulnerable country in relation to high frequency of natural disasters connected to climate change.  It has been estimated that in comparison to 1750 concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by forty percent. Because of burning of fossil fuel (petrol, gas and coal) every year more than thirty billion Tons of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofluorocarbon) is entering the atmosphere.  Absorption capacity of carbon dioxide by plants and oceans (specific gravity of saline water is high) has stretched to its peak and in future capacity to absorb carbon dioxide will not increase.  Presence of access greenhouse gas remains responsible for global rise of temperature and related climate change problem that is affecting Bangladesh significantly. In relation to the above Bangladesh is faced with erratic rainfall and increase in number and intensity of different natural disasters. On the other many rivers at the coastal belt and shallow aquifer has become saline. Sixty percent of the worldwide deaths caused by cyclones in the last

20 years occurred in Bangladesh. Because of river erosion, cyclones and flood already Bangladesh is facing challenges of displaced people; they are either moving internally or migrating to neighboring countries in particular to India.

MICROFINANCE SECTOR

As per reference in current literature there are about 34 million micro credit clients in Bangladesh. There are numerous NGO organizations who are engaged in microfinance activities. However Grameen Bank, ASA and brac controls the major share of micro credit clients. There are panel data for a period of twenty years which reflects that participants of the program show consistent decline of their poverty level.

NGO SECTOR IN BANGLADESH

It should be noted that NGO activities in Bangladesh was started at the time of Bangladesh liberation war and basically was directed to support its population in war torn, famine effected country after liberation. Since then it travelled through relief, rehabilitation, development and to rights based approaches. Throughout this period Bangladesh witnessed growth of a strong NGO sector. As per NGO Affair’s Bureau statistics in 2011 there were 2000 registered NGO organizations working in Bangladesh. They are able to secure foreign assistance at different times; among them 200 were of foreign origin. About 400 organizations are active and performing regular activities.   In fiscal year 2010-2011 NGO Affairs Bureau released 200 crore BDT in favor of such NGOs.  However that role of NGO Sector is slowly declining and  as  per  BBS  NGO  sectors  influence  in Bangladesh  GDP  is 1.8%  (2011).  Besides  NGOs philosophy and modus operandi over the years has been influenced by global institutions like UN, WB and  bilateral  donor  agencies.  Apart  from  that  engagement  in  micro  credit  to  remain  sustainable appeared as one of the dominant trend in Bangladesh. Besides that there are NGOs who are supported from religious thinking’s and also some are related to funding from the Middle East; such NGOs are to continue and strengthen more conservative fundamental views on life in the society.   

There are allegations that in the name of NGOs some organizations are trying to support fundamentalist forces and also Rhohingiay’s. All this possibly prompted Bangladesh government to review and revise law on regulation of NGOs in Bangladesh and that is seen as step to restrict activities of NGOs in Bangladesh.

CHALLENGES

Inequality remains as a strong challenge for Bangladesh. All pertinent indicators show wide variation and rising inequality in Bangladesh. In coming years this will be a daunting task for Bangladesh to adopt policies, systems, procedures and allocate resources to reduce inequality.

It is critical to  strengthen health systems to reach effectively and efficiently poorer section of the population specifically extreme poor in Bangladesh to reduce their vulnerabilities and pull them out of extreme poverty.

Voice and space of the marginalized are weak and a special efforts should be required by the state to encourage their visible participation in the functions of the economy and state.

To focus urgently on hard to reach and remote poverty pockets where people are constantly denied their access to rights and entitlements (safety nets)

To deal, with the problem of increased urbanization,problem of inadequate WASH services in major cities, secondary towns and hard to reach remote areas of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh also needs to focus its attention on training and capacity building of its emerging young work force to push them out of poverty.

It is obvious that improvement of livelihoods is of prime importance to pull Bangladesh poor population out of poverty. In connection with that demand for income generation and in relation to that supply of capital, business skills development and assistance in value chain is of critical importance.  It has been observed that despite strong micro credit operation in Bangladesh market is not saturated; still one does observe visibility of money lenders and private lending societies who are doing business on high interest rates. In link with this Bangladesh needs to further focus on supply and availability of credit to the poor as well as continue support cash or asset transfers.

GENESIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF TROPICAL COMMERCE COMPANY LTD

 In mid-eighties some young professionals wanted to devote some of their time to support poor HHs living in urban slums of Dhaka. They thought and realized that they have to discharge some of their time in the benefit of disadvantaged HHs living in urban slums of Dhaka. As some of them were Medical doctors so idea was to start some free health clinics in slums on a weekly basis so that they can provide free prescriptions and free drug samples collected from pharmaceutical companies. This continued for few years and in 1988 Bangladesh did face a devastating flood that engulfed two thirds of the country and even major portion of Dhaka city the capital of Bangladesh went under flood water. People suffered  major problems and miseries. In this background activists sat together and decided to start a flood relief   activity discharging batch of medical team and also distribute some relief materials that were possible to collect from enthusiastic sympathetic citizens.

Since 2019 Tropical Commerce Company Ltd started Community based Disaster Risk Reduction projects; this was a new discipline for Tropical Commerce Company Ltd although for long organization has been long attached with relief and rehabilitation projects and programs. For last few years Tropical Commerce Company Ltd has been intensely engaged with disaster risk reduction projects. Several staff was trained in this new discipline and training materials and hand books have been printed to strengthen organizational capacity and its institutional memory. Through such  training,  capacity  building  and  documentation  exercise  it  was  possible  for  Tropical Commerce Company Ltd to  take  such learning’s in the benefit of communities living in hard to reach remote rural places and strengthen disadvantaged communities understanding, engagement and capacities living in remote rural places.Since its inception Tropical Commerce Company Ltd always came forward to support marginalized depressed communities at the time of natural disasters. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to develop its own disaster

fund that generally gives the organization scope to act immediately after the disaster. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd also tries to raise fund to support communities who became victim of any natural disaster.

Since 2019 Tropical Commerce Company Ltd has been implementing a non-formal education project. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to develop and print different education guide book and materials for the benefit of non-formal school students.

Staff capacity building and implementation of different training components at the community level is being directly supported by Tropical Commerce Company Ltd training cell since 1997. Training cell imparts capacity building training on PRA, WASH, PHC, micro credit, DRR, monitoring, accounting, procurement etc.  As a strategic choice Tropical Commerce Company Ltd became engaged with problems of extreme poor HHs. In line with this for last several years Tropical Commerce Company Ltd is implementing projects targeting extreme poor HHs.

IDENTITY OF TROPICAL COMMERCE COMPANY LTD

VISION

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd seeks a country of social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd aims to be a partner of choice within a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty.

MISSION

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd aims at building strong community based organizations (CBOs) which will eventually be able to plan, prioritize and implement their own development programs through mobilization of the following combination of resources : -Family and community,  Government ,Donor agencies  and concerned civil society.

VALUES OBJECTIVES

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd  is commited to the following objectives to achieve its vision and misson Provide helth care  (primary, secondary and tertiary care) and family welfare services to the rural and urban poor in general and in particular to women and children.To implement illiteracy eradication programme among the children and  adults.Implement water supply, environmental sanitation facilities and hygiene education to the rural and urban poor and extreme poor in particular.

Exploit all potential options prevailing at the local level to generate gainful employment for the rural and urban poor, with special emphasis on expanding women’s participation in income-generating ventures.

Linking various production inputs, particularly disbursement of credit to the rural and urban poor for realizing the available employment-generation opportunities.

Contribute to improve the living conditions of the rural and urban poor, campaigning about their right for better livelihood opportunities.

Empowerment of community based institutions with visual leadership of women

and poor people.

Sensitize and strengthen the corporate sector, local government, local private service provider and the community in general about their role in the development process, facilitate and encourage collaborative arrangements.

Launching of awareness, relief and rehabilitation program among the victims in the wake of natural calamities and disasters.

Organization Principle

  1. Empowerment: Since its inception Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believed that through its work it shall facilitate and strengthencommunity work in such a way where community members will be able to plan, prioritize, implement and monitor their own development projects.
  1. Gender: Tropical Commerce Company Ltd also believed that in this process over whelming participation and engagement of women from poor and extreme poor section of the society is of critical importance
  2. is of critical importance. This is the process to build  confidence between organization andcommunities for delivering future            Diversity: Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious multiplicity  of Bangladesh societysuccessful outputs and outcomes and achieve sustainability.
    1. Accountability: Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes that for its work organization is accountable to the poor community who are in poverty and extreme poverty; they are denied of their rights and entitlements; assistance in poverty alleviation is a fundamental constitutional obligation of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd. Besides that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd also feels that it is a registered entity recognized by the governm In line with the above  An accountability framework  shall be operational that is inclusive of open information policy, complaints and response procedures and learning’s to continue and institutionalize with such practices at Tropical Commerce Company Ltd.
    1. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd also believes and reiterates that practice of secular humane democratic approaches and practices are of critical importance and will continue to reflect the above in functioning and management of the organization.
    1. Participation:Tropical Commerce Company Ltd from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target
    1. Communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its project Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.

    Transparency: Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes that open and transparent exchange about any development project

    1. Commitment: Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes  that  Bangladesh  was  borne  through  a  glorious  liberation  strugg  Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society  that  was  coined  in  four  basic  principles  inscribed  in  the  National  Constitution.  Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing  its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability       in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements 

Organizational Culture

In connection with the above Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall continue with the culture of participatory democratic practices to run and manage the organization. It shall continue to promote effectivity, efficiency, team work, gender sensitivity, capacity building and adherence to the spirit of an egalitarian society and secular practices in the organization.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was managing a primary Health Program through community financing mechanisms in the form of client’s subscriptions. In following this approach it was increasingly observed that this is inviting tensions at the field and community members were not satisfied and motivated enough to pay for the health services. This was effecting recovery of credit installments at the field. Besides that at the decision making and policy levels there were increasing disagreements about PHC program management and financing modalities (blend with micro credit program). In the meanwhile MRA authority also came up with its rules and procedures and barred NGO organizations to charge above than 12.5% interest per annum. In view of that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd discussed at length the health program implementation issue at its Executive committee meetings; and as financing for such large operation was not immediately available so it was decided  to  close  the  PHC  program.

Executive Committee

In this bygone period Executive Committee became much more active in management of the organization. They went for few other strategic steps such as formation of projects subcommittee, reinforcement of the activities of internal audit subcommittee composed of EC and general body members etc.

As  per  strategic  understanding  it  was  decided  to  consolidate  Tropical Commerce Company Ltd’s  micro  credit  program.  It  was observed that horizontal expansion brings risks and it should be better to concentrate in current ten districts where micro credit program is implemented and look at the scope and possibilities of vertical expansions. It was also decided to diversify loan products and also try to work to engage with extreme poor population in current working areas.

Internal dynamics

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd in these years as per previous strategic direction continued to work in different hard to reach remote areas of Bangladesh this includes haor (wetland area), coastal belt and urban slums.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd choose to continue services to populations living in hard to reach remote areas. In the bygone period Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to consolidate management strength, do product diversification, improve discipline and build equity of its micro credit operation significantly and thanks also goes to disaster free environment in past few years in the country.

In past few years Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to concentrate its focus on extreme poverty, health, WASH, relief rehabilitation and disaster risk reduction projects. Now through shiree supported project Tropical Commerce Company Ltd is covering 25,000 extreme poor households,. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to reach 10,000 extreme poor HHs; review of its first round beneficiaries (1600) by an independent consultant clearly reflects the effectiveness of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd model in pulling HHs out of extreme poverty.

Besides this Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was sensitive to the criticism that generally NGOs tries to pocket project fund for their own organizational benefit rather than the benefit of target HHs for whom such funds have been raised. In view of the above one of the specific characteristic of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd project implementation is the principle to follow and apply eighty twenty ratio in project budgeting. These meant that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd tried hard to deliver eighty percent budget of the project in the benefit of target HHs information flows about project content, implementation and available budget for the purpose. Before start of any project, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd follows a strategy of disclosure. In this way Tropical Commerce Company Ltd tries to organize a meeting engaging all stakeholders where full details of upcoming project are being shared. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was able to follow a strategy of bottom up to implement its projects.

In following such strategy Tropical Commerce Company Ltd continues to follow a transparent path of its project operation. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes  that in doing so it is possible to establish ownership of target communities on different projects implemented by Tropical Commerce Company Ltd. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd also continues to work closely with local Union Councils and UNO offices.

In starting a project Tropical Commerce Company Ltd from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes  that  Bangladesh  was  borne  through  a  glorious  liberation  struggle.  Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society  that  was  coined  in  four  basic  principles  inscribed  in  the  National  Constitution. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements.

 Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious multiplicity of Bangladesh society as practice goes for a dissemination meeting where all concerned stakeholders i.e. Union Council, Community Representatives, PIO of UNO office are invited. for a dissemination meeting where all concerned stakeholders i.e. Union Council, Community Representatives, PIO of UNO office are invite. 

Use of asset transfer tool in battle with Extreme Poverty

There are forty seven million people under poverty line and 26 million of them are in extreme poverty. As per sixth five year plan, Bangladesh government is committed to eradicate extreme poverty. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd did implement projects having independent use of different antipoverty tools to alleviate extreme poverty. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd approach has been based on its past experiences of implementation of other similar anti extreme poverty projects in Bangladesh and did outline a 24 months graduation period that shall facilitate exit of such households from extreme poverty. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd model is composed of following elements: selection of bottom ten percent extreme poor target HHs based on specific criteria’s and focused on women, social empowerment, capacity increase, market linkage and equity formation, access to capital, basic services and safety net; In  current  approach Tropical Commerce Company Ltd did  combine  all  these  instruments  to  scale  the  initiative  and  achieve  a physically robust effect and attain a tangible result for the benefit of thirty thousand extreme poor in two phases.

After finishing first three years most of the output indicators (Food intake, employment, income, women participation and CBO strengthening) demonstrates strong positive outcomes, reflecting trends that characterizes movement of the project participants out of extreme poverty. Above does indicate that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd model is working well.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd intends to continue its work in this line in next five years to come and join with government and other organizations to eliminate extreme poverty from Bangladesh in near future.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change

Disaster risk reduction is critically important for Bangladesh. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd has started working in this discipline since 2008. Given the predictions and observations, frequency, intensity of disasters and change in climate are effecting and also further will affect negatively life and livelihoods of Bangladesh poor population.

In next five years’ time Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall popularize different types of agricultural methods to facilitate increase in food production and primarily encourage to move for adaptation measures such as plantation in Tropical Commerce Company Ltd’s project areas.be trying to work simultaneously in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and development projects trying to bring a synergistic effect as far as possible. Besides that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall try to facilitate its own institutional capacity through training

its own staff in disaster risk reduction discipline. Apart from that Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall continue to build capacity of target communities in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation measures. This shall be done taking steps to sensitize and aware target populations about climate change,

Voice and Space

In future Tropical Commerce Company Ltd is proposing to specifically focus on democratic space and specially to work on voice and space of the poor and extreme poor populations in Tropical Commerce Company Ltd working areas. Although Tropical Commerce Company Ltd is strongly advocating for the space and voice of the marginalized however if this strategy is to be implemented a considerable volume and further programs orientation in this direction of staff will be required.

Implication For Organization

 Implication for funding:  in order to implement above described  strategic direction and plan it  will require allocation of fund in all projects and programs. Initially Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will try to look at the scope and possibility of adjustments in ongoing projects and programs. In new projects Tropical Commerce Company Ltd from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above Tropical

Commerce Company Ltd shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation follow up and monitoring.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall continue to reflect its focus on gender, ethnicity, cultural and religious multiplicity of Bangladesh society.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd believes  that  Bangladesh  was  borne  through  a  glorious  liberation struggle.  Its architects aspired and dreamt about independent, secular, humane democratic egalitarian state and society  that  was  coined  in  four  basic  principles  inscribed  in  the  National  Constitution.  Tropical Commerce Company Ltd was established in line with above spirit and feels that organization shall be fully committed in implementing its projects with utmost sincerity, openness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the benefit of poor people who are systematically and painfully denied of their rights and entitlements. Will remain sensitive to cover the issue of extreme poverty as far as possible.

Gender dimensions

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will continue to focus on disadvantage poor and extreme poor women in implementing its projects and programs. Organization will focus on capacity and organization building process participated by poor women and strengthens their drive for their rights and entitlements thorough different projects and programs. Among its target population Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will campaign to eliminate child marriage, dowry and other abuse of adolescent and young women.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will continue to aware its staff about gender discriminations and importance of gender equality to achieve progress and development of Bangladesh state and society. Thus Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will continue to keep its staff aware and motivated about logic of gender focus in its projects and programs. Apart from the above Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will continue to encourage participation of women in different staff position at Tropical Commerce Company Ltd. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will consider further strengthening of women participation at leadership positions at the executive leve Tropical Commerce Company Ltd l. Besides Tropical Commerce Company Ltd leadership will think and consider encourage women to come forward to become member of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd general body. Besides, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd will take necessary steps to increase participation of women in leadership position at Tropical Commerce Company Ltd EC.

Follow up Steps Strategic Plan Implementation

As soon as strategic plan document is finalized and approved Tropical Commerce Company Ltd management will take steps to develop an operation plan for next five years having adhered to strategic directions (team formation, orientation, new initiatives, fund raising, monitoring etc.). Above plan will be placed before EC and will take its approval for future implementation.

Evaluation

A midterm evaluation will be done after thirty months of implementation of the strategic plan.   If necessary a correction of strategic course shall be done or any additional strategic measures shall be taken. At the end of five years strategic period a full evaluation shall be done and steps shall be taken to formulate new strategic plan for next five years period.

Identifying Problems and their Causes using Problem Tree Method

The participants were facilitated to find out the problems and causes of the problems using the

“Problem Tree” method and the findings were as follows:

Problems:-

  1. Child marriage
  2. Delivery facilities
  3. Education for children and adults
  4. Electricity
  5. Excessive humidity during summer
  6. Excessive rainfall
  7. Fire incidence
  8. Housing
  9.  Income is low but expenditure is high
  10. Job placement
  11. Lack of hospital facility
  12. Lack of roads and communication
  13. Lack of sanitary latrines
  14. Lack of security
  15. Natural disasters
  16.  Negligence
  17. No government help/support
  18. Price hike in the local market
  19. Problem of capital
  20. Safe drinking water
  21. Scarcity of cooking gas
  22. Slum eviction
  23. Diseases
  24. Strike
  25. High house rent
  26. Violence against women

Absence of waste disposal facility Causes of Problems:

  • Strike and hartal hinder to reach work places
  • During rain cannot run businesses
  • Household level poverty create problem in business
  • Social problem like women feel uncomfortable to work outside as husbands and   father-in-laws protest against women’s work outside
  • Gender Inequality
  • Market remains closed due to strike or hartal and so they lose income
  • Because of Strike vegetables and raw materials becomes unusable
  • Education expenses is high, so unable to send children to school
  • Employment is not available in the factories, so serious unemploymen problems
  • Due to lack of capital business is not possible to expand
  • Fire Service and Civil Defense service is not available in the locality
  •  Women and girls face insecurity at home and in the slum
  • Due to open defecations and drainage problem there are burden of diseasesprevalence
  • No legal Gas and electricity connections
  • During monsoon many houses are under water for long
  •   Supply water is sometimes polluted

Finding out the Strengths and Areas of Improvement of Participation:

 Tropical Commerce Company Ltd from the beginning believes in bottom up process and participation of target communities in design, implementation and monitoring of its projects. Besides that internally decision making process shall remain participatory. In view of the above Tropical Commerce Company Ltd shall facilitate engagement of staff and community members in making decisions about projects its implementation, follow up and monitoring

Finding out the Strengths and Areas of Improvement of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd in implementing the Project Activitis:

Participants worked out about the strengths and weaknesses of Tropical Commerce Company Ltd activities in the field and in decision making as follows-

Strengths:

  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd provides startup capital
  • Provides skill development training i.e. driving, tailoring etc.
  • Operates health service
  • Provide assets
  • Slum dwellers get job or employment when they are in difficult situation
  • There is a standard system of conducting meetings
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd adheres to transparent, honest and fair selection process
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd staff facilitates good environment of understanding and  introduction among    the beneficiaries
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd  provides training on business development
  • It provides with stipend for old age people and for the persons with disability
  • It gives assets and basic training
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd provides relief during disasters
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd project has helped to reduce the number of beggars
  • Tropical Commerce Company Ltd supplies drugs at 50% subsidy

Areas of Improvement:

    • Health service should be improved
    • Loan amount should be increased
    • Supply of drinking water should be increased
    • Loan should be disbursed timely
    • Housing facility should be ensured
    • Road and communication system should be constructed
    • Schools should be established
    • Duration of Skill Development Training should be increased
    • Resource Center for the CBOs under Tropical Commerce Company Ltd -shiree Project should be  established
    • Delivery/birthing center should be established in the slums
    • Job placement
    • CBOs do not get any stipend from Tropical Commerce Company Ltd -shiree Project
    • Because of Strike vegetables and raw materials becomes unusable
    • Education expenses is high, so unable to send children to school
    • Employment is not available in the factories, so serious unemployment problems
    • Due to lack of capital business is not possible to expand
    • Fire Service and Civil Defense service is not available in the locality
    • Women and girls face insecurity at home and in the slum
    • Due to open defecations and drainage problem there are burden of diseases prevalence
    •  No legal Gas and electricity connections
    • During monsoon many houses are under water for long
    • Supply water is sometimes polluted
    • Duration of Skill Development Training should be increased
    • Resource Center for the CBOs under Tropical Commerce Company Ltd -shiree Project should be established
    • CBOs do not get any stipend from Tropical Commerce Company Ltd -shiree Pro
    •  

HOME LOAN

HOME EQUITY LOAN

Expand Your Imigination

 Home renovations are difficult enough, financing it should not be. Whether you are moving into a new home or looking to give your old home a makeover, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Home Equity Loan can Help to make your home picture perfect.

Apartment Purchase Loan

Feel the happiness of your own home

 Home is where our dreams begin. Home is where your happiness starts. Home is shelter to every phase of your life. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Apartment Purchase Loan gives you the confidence to purchase your own space and live in full freedom.

Home Loan Shield

Protect your family, protect your home

Provide complete protection for your family’s future through life insurance coverage equivalent to your outstanding home loan amount. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Home Loan Shield is a special Group Life Insurance Scheme, designed to protect your family in the event of your unfortunate death. The shield takes over the outstanding principal amount of your home loan with Tropical Commerce Company Ltd, thus protecting your beloved family from the burden of repayment.

Construction Loan

Build your own canvas

Build your dream house exactly the way you want. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Construction Loan gives you the freedom to choose the plan & features that are most important for you in building your own home or apartment.

Affordable Home Loan

Home for everyone

Now you don’t need to wait further to build your own home or own a flat. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Finance Limited brings to you the easiest home loan in the country, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Affordable Home Loan – Home for Everyone. Now you can fulfill the dream of your own home with confidence, even if your income is limited.

Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Semi Paka Loan

Happiness in home

Home is a basic need of every person even if purchasing an apartment or house is beyond capacity. To fulfill your dream of an abode, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd Semi Paka Loan can help you to purchase or construct a semi paka or paka house within your reach.

House Purchase Loan

Full freedom in own address

You are comfortable only in your own space and you like to be in one of your private dwelling. You can take Tropical Commerce Company Ltd ‘s House Purchase Loan to purchase a complete house/bungalow of your own.

Commercial Space Purchase Loan

Create an address of your business

 To secure the business address at any prominent commercial hub, Tropical Commerce Company Ltd comes up with convenience of Commercial Space Purchase Loan.

CAR LOAN

FUEL YOUR DREAMS

A car is not a privilege anymore, it’s your right to commute comfortably. Add in those weekends of family trips, long-drives with friends and you’ve got the perfect recipe for happiness. At Tropical Commerce Company Ltd we believe that auto-financing should be fast and hassle-free. So let us finance not only the journey to your dream car but also those exciting impulse decisions that change your lifestyle.

PERSONAL LOAN

LEAVE NO DESIRE UNFULFILLED

It could be children’s education, marriage of self or dependent, emergency medical expenses, or even a holiday abroad – Whatever the cause, we can help you to meet your financial needs quickly and without hassle. Tropical Commerce Company Ltd personal loan is customized to your needs, to give you the freedom to explore your desires. 

Feature

  • Minimum loan amount Taka 1 lac 
  • Loan Term: Maximum loan tenure 5 years
  • Fastest Turn Around Time in the industry 
  • Competitive interest rates
  • Full/partial early payment option of the loan amount before expiry

Eligibility

You can apply for this loan right now if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your age should be between 20 to 60 years
  • You should have an employment record of a minimum of 01 (One) years with your current       

How I can use this loan

Our product is designed to support your various needs including:

  • Purchase of consumer durables
  • Home improvement / renovation
  • Meeting financial liabilities
  • Marriage of self or dependents
  • Education
  • Domestic or foreign travel
  • Medical treatment for self/family members
  • Other needs