Bangladesh with its 40% people living below poverty line and 18% living in absolute poverty is suffering from acute rural-urban economic disparity coupled with illiteracy, lack of proper health and sanitation facilities. The country's economy is basically an agrarian one with vast majority living in rural areas. The agriculture sector is unable to provide any further scope for employment resulting in influx of rural population towards urban areas. Rural areas are characterised by stagnant agriculture and scanty industries. Underemployment and unemployment is a regular phenomenon particularly in rural areas. The vast human resources have remained unutilised due to lack of education, proper training and concerted efforts to help grow the rural economy. This results in uneven distribution of income which causes serious set back in balanced geographical growth as well as growth of GDP.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited was founded with the major objective of establishing Islamic economy for balanced economic growth by ensuring reduction of rural-urban disparity and equitable distribution of income.

In view of the above, Branches of the Bank have been encouraged to invest their deposits in their respective areas and in particular for the economic upliftment of the rural people.

Accordingly, a Scheme in the name and style of 'Rural Development Scheme' has been introduced to cater to the investment needs of the agriculture and rural sector to create opportunity for generation of employment and raising income of the rural people with a view to alleviate poverty.