Microfinance represents a hallmark of modern development initiatives. Widespread claims from the sector assert that it offers a sustainable solution to poverty, supported by impressive 99% repayment rates. For Bangladesh, more than any other country, microfinance also symbolises the nation’s economic and social development, with growth in the sector and the sustainability of its institutions coalescing with the persistent decrease in poverty and extreme poverty rates at the national level. Its fame has, however, drawn tough scrutiny from international donors and researchers concerned with its impacts on the ground.