What INAFI Bangladesh does

INAFI Bangladesh is a national network organization of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh, founded in 2003 and operating as a non-profit membership body. It is registered under the NGO Affairs Bureau (2003) and the Joint Stock Companies & Firms (2004), with headquarters at 65 Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212. The organization serves a defined base of 27 member MFIs and NGOs, focusing on policy advocacy, capacity building, research, and the promotion of financial inclusion across the Bangladeshi microfinance sector.

As the Bangladeshi chapter of the broader INAFI International network, which was initiated by Oxfam Novib in 1995, INAFI Bangladesh operates on a network governance model rather than a conventional product or service-delivery business. Its revenue model is not productized; income is derived from membership contributions and donor/grants. Core activities include convening members, producing research, running training programs, and engaging with regulators on behalf of the sector. The organization has historically been associated with Sir Fazle Hasan Abed (founder of BRAC) as President of INAFI International since 2006.

In 2025, INAFI Bangladesh has demonstrably intensified its regulatory engagement, holding formal meetings with the Governor of Bangladesh Bank (May 8), the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (April 8), the Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division (March 19), and the Executive Vice Chairman of the Microcredit Regulatory Authority (March 5). It also issued a public call for supportive budgetary policies on May 21, 2025, and elected a new Executive Governing Body on January 30, 2025. These activities position the organization as a structured interlocutor between microfinance practitioners and the principal government bodies that shape sector regulation and taxation.

Name

INAFI Bangladesh

Legal name

INAFI Bangladesh

Website

https://inafibd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

INAFI Bangladesh is a non-profit national network of 27 member microfinance institutions and NGOs, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Dhaka. It advocates for its members, delivers capacity-building and research, and engages Bangladeshi regulators on microfinance policy and taxation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance Network and Financial Inclusion Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (81399), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Development Cooperation & Foreign Aid Administration (BPAIAIAG)

Keywords

• Microfinance network
• Financial inclusion advocacy
• NGO capacity building
• Microfinance policy research
• MFI sector coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

INAFI Bangladesh is a national network organization that coordinates advocacy, capacity building, research, and financial inclusion initiatives on behalf of its 27 member microfinance institutions (MFIs) and NGOs operating in Bangladesh. It serves as a unified platform for sector-wide collaboration, policy dialogue with regulators, and dissemination of best practices aimed at supporting low-income communities' access to financial and non-financial services.

Product overview

INAFI Bangladesh is a national network organization rather than a product company. It operates as a membership-based network of 27 microfinance institutions (MFIs) and NGOs committed to financial inclusion and sustainable development. The organization provides network coordination, capacity building, research, and advocacy services to its member organizations rather than commercial products or software offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microfinance Sector Advocacy and Policy Engagement Representation and policy advocacy on behalf of 27 member MFIs/NGOs with Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Financial Institutions Division (FID), and Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) to shape supportive policies for the microfinance sector.
• Capacity Building Programs for Member Organizations Training and capacity building initiatives provided to 27 member microfinance institutions and NGOs to strengthen their institutional capabilities and operational effectiveness.
• Microfinance Research and Knowledge Dissemination Research, knowledge generation, and dissemination of best practices in microfinance and financial inclusion, shared through the website's Knowledge Hub section for member organizations and sector stakeholders.
• Member Network Coordination Services Coordination of the national network of 27 member organisations, facilitating sector-wide collaboration, information sharing, and collective initiatives among leading, medium, and small MFIs/NGOs across Bangladesh.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• INAFI InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINAFI Bangladesh is the Bangladesh chapter of INAFI International, a global network established in 1995 and promoted by Oxfam Novib. Sir Fazle Hasan Abed (founder of BRAC) served as President of INAFI International since 2006. The organization operates under the umbrella of this international network while focusing on country-specific initiatives.
• Bangladesh BankcoreOthersINAFI Bangladesh engages with Bangladesh Bank (Central Bank) to advocate for supportive policies for the microfinance sector. Met with the Governor to discuss key microfinance sector issues.
• National Board of Revenue (NBR)minorOthersINAFI Bangladesh meets with NBR Chairman to raise key sectoral issues affecting the microfinance sector in Bangladesh.
• Financial Institutions Division (FID)coreOthersINAFI Bangladesh engages with the Secretary of Financial Institutions Division to discuss sector policies and regulatory matters.
• Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA)coreOthersINAFI Bangladesh maintains courtesy relationship with MRA's Executive Vice Chairman for regulatory matters and compliance discussions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Sa-Dhan: National association of NGO-led microfinance institutions in Bangladesh. Operates as a membership-based network supporting MFIs in Bangladesh—similar in mission and constituency to INAFI Bangladesh, with comparable advocacy and capacity-building remit.
• Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF): Bangladesh's apex microfinance apex fund established by the government; coordinates and channels wholesale funding to over 200 partner MFIs/NGOs across Bangladesh. Direct functional peer: aggregates, represents, and supports MFIs in Bangladesh, with deep government ties.
• INAFI International: Global network of MFIs/NGOs founded in 1995 by Oxfam Novib; INAFI Bangladesh is the Bangladesh chapter. Same mission (financial inclusion, advocacy, capacity building for poor communities) and same network-organizational model across multiple country chapters.
• INAFI India: Sister national chapter of INAFI International operating in India. Same organizational model, same mission of supporting member MFIs/NGOs through advocacy, capacity building, and financial inclusion programs; directly comparable peer at country-chapter level.

Broad incumbents

• Opportunity International: Global microfinance network supporting partners across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including Bangladesh. Comparable as a global microfinance support organization providing capacity building, technical assistance, and funding to member MFIs serving poor communities.
• BRAC: The world's largest development NGO, headquartered in Bangladesh and a major microfinance provider alongside extensive non-financial programming. Operates at much greater scale and scope than INAFI Bangladesh, but deeply intertwined with the same microfinance ecosystem and historically tied through Sir Fazle Hasan Abed.
• FINCA International: Nonprofit operating a global network of microfinance institutions and bank programs across the developing world. Comparable as a large-scale, multi-country financial inclusion platform with extensive MFI experience, but at materially greater scale and broader geographic scope than INAFI Bangladesh.
• Grameen Foundation: U.S.-headquartered international NGO supporting microfinance and poverty alleviation in Asia, Africa, and the Americas; closely connected to Bangladesh through the Grameen family of institutions. Functions in the same sector (MFI capacity building, financial inclusion services) but at much broader international scale.
• ACCION International: Global nonprofit supporting microfinance and financial inclusion across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Peer through shared focus on scaling access to financial services for low-income populations and through network-style support to microfinance institutions in multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inafi-bangladesh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about INAFI Bangladesh