Sylhet Correspondent :
Speakers at a regional meeting in Sylhet have urged the government to promote agro-SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in the division.
Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) organised the meeting at Sylhet district council auditorium in the city on Saturday, said a press release.
BAPA Treasurer Iqtadul Hoque spoke as the chief guest, while Farida Alam of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) was present as the special guest in the meeting.
BAPA member SMEs, representatives of BWCCI and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) took part in the meeting with BAPA Executive Committee Member Mohammad Abdul Hamid in the chair.
The speakers said despite having much potential the number of SMEs in the agro-processing sector in Sylhet division is less than that of other regions of the country for various reasons.
These include lack of linkage with relevant associations, absence of motivation, advocacy and training, and the socio-economic realities of the region from where a large number of people live abroad as expatriates, they said..
The participants raised some demands in the meeting.
loan The demands include financial supports from government including reduction of bank interest rate for SMEs which is now about 13 per cent, cooperation of BAPA and others to increase number of entrepreneurs in Sylhet and to hold such meetings to boost linkage and networking for agro-SMEs, conduct of training workshop etc.
With support from the European Union under the SME Competitiveness Grant Scheme, BAPA is implementing two projects under the contracting authority of the Ministry of Industries.
Speakers at a regional meeting in Sylhet have urged the government to promote agro-SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in the division.
Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) organised the meeting at Sylhet district council auditorium in the city on Saturday, said a press release.
BAPA Treasurer Iqtadul Hoque spoke as the chief guest, while Farida Alam of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) was present as the special guest in the meeting.
BAPA member SMEs, representatives of BWCCI and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) took part in the meeting with BAPA Executive Committee Member Mohammad Abdul Hamid in the chair.
The speakers said despite having much potential the number of SMEs in the agro-processing sector in Sylhet division is less than that of other regions of the country for various reasons.
These include lack of linkage with relevant associations, absence of motivation, advocacy and training, and the socio-economic realities of the region from where a large number of people live abroad as expatriates, they said..
The participants raised some demands in the meeting.
loan The demands include financial supports from government including reduction of bank interest rate for SMEs which is now about 13 per cent, cooperation of BAPA and others to increase number of entrepreneurs in Sylhet and to hold such meetings to boost linkage and networking for agro-SMEs, conduct of training workshop etc.
With support from the European Union under the SME Competitiveness Grant Scheme, BAPA is implementing two projects under the contracting authority of the Ministry of Industries.
