An investigation of the impact of Islamic microfinance on women's entrepreneurship development in rural areas of Bangladesh a case study of indigenous women in Chittagong

Abstract

Islamic microfinance presents a promising solution for fostering women's entrepreneurship and alleviating poverty in emerging economies. This study examines the impact of Islamic microfinance (IMF) on tribal women in Bangladesh, exploring how it aids them in developing entrepreneurial initiatives. Furthermore, it seeks to investigate the effects of Islamic microfinance on tribal women's financial empowerment, the well-being of their families, poverty reduction, and access to economic resource schemes.This study utilises qualitative data collection methods to assess the impact of Islamic microfinance in achieving its objectives. Additionally, this investigation conducts semi-structured interviews with successful tribal women entrepreneurs and those aspiring to entrepreneurship. The interviews encompass two focus groups: effective tribal women entrepreneurs with at least one year of experience, and individuals who have recently participated in or are interested in entrepreneurial programmes and training to engage in entrepreneurial schemes through the Islamic microfinance sector in the future. The qualitative data is analysed through thematic analysis and coded using NVivo software.Furthermore, this thesis evaluates the impact of Islamic microfinance on tribal women's entrepreneurship development in rustic regions of Bangladesh, where there is a shortage of understanding regarding Islamic microfinance facilities. It determines how Islamic microfinance approaches can improve tribal women's entrepreneurship, increasing their contribution to household income and family welfare. In addition, it measures the extent to which Islamic microfinance approaches significantly contribute to expanding the entrepreneurial activities of tribal women. Based on empirical outcomes, the study has highlighted that Islamic microfinance programs contribute considerably to tribal women’s entrepreneurship development and poverty elimination. The research findings also underscore that, through the effective support of Islamic microfinance, tribal women entrepreneurs have contributed to women's empowerment, gender equity, household well-being, and economic enfranchisement in developing countries like Bangladesh.However, the empirical outcomes also have emphasised that tribal women entrepreneurs can succeed better if IMFIs offer them entrepreneurial schemes tailored solely for tribal women, easier access to finance, and formal entrepreneurship training. Finally, these empirical outcomes have contributed to the broader Islamic microfinance literature by reviewing Bangladesh's moderately less investigated emerging economy. This thesis also theoretically and methodologically explores Islamic microfinance's impact and influence on rural women's entrepreneurship development, specifically among tribal women in Chittagong, Bangladesh