Economic Reporter :
A good start for an integrated and women friendly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would play a vital role to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity in the South Asian region including Bangladesh.
Industries Minister Amir Hussain Amy made the observation saying, the number of women are on rise day by day in trade and industrialization in South Asia, where half of the total population is women.
“The role of women, especially in the SME sector, is highly appreciable as they are making a commendable contribution in the regional economy,” he said while addressing as the chief guest the inaugural session on “South Asian Countries SME Summit 2016” at a local hotel.
South Asian Countries SME Forum and National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) jointly organized the summit with association of the Ministry of Industries and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Amu said the South Asian region has a big market of 1.7 billion population with a regional trade being merely at five percent against different challenges like extreme poverty, illiteracy, diseases and social instability.
That is why, the minister said, the South Asian Countries should take up concerted initiatives to ensure a sustainable SME sector through accelerating the regional trade among the countries in this part of the world. He referred to tremendous successes achieved by the present government in Bangladesh in various socio-economic fields like women empowerment, food security, human resources development, gender equality, lowering the maternal and infant mortality rate, poverty alleviation and raising life expectancy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He expressed his firm belief that the active cooperation among the South Asian Countries in the light of the SME Summit- 2016 would be a greater opportunity for all in further strengthening the bilateral and multilateral investment in the field of SME development in the region.
“This summit is surely a milestone to enhance the opportunities for sharing knowledge, expertise and best practices as well as technology transfer among the participating countries,” he added.
Among others, South Asian Countries SME Forum Chairman Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon and NASCIB Advisory Committee Chairman Dr Momtaz Uddin Ahmed spoke on the occasion.
Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon said “this is the high time to develop and flourish our initiative by working together for the regional Small and Medium sector, leading to further improving the living standard in the region.”
Later, Amir Hossain Amu handed over awards among 15 SME entrepreneurs of Bangladesh for their outstanding contribution in the respective fields.
A good start for an integrated and women friendly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would play a vital role to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity in the South Asian region including Bangladesh.
Industries Minister Amir Hussain Amy made the observation saying, the number of women are on rise day by day in trade and industrialization in South Asia, where half of the total population is women.
“The role of women, especially in the SME sector, is highly appreciable as they are making a commendable contribution in the regional economy,” he said while addressing as the chief guest the inaugural session on “South Asian Countries SME Summit 2016” at a local hotel.
South Asian Countries SME Forum and National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) jointly organized the summit with association of the Ministry of Industries and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Amu said the South Asian region has a big market of 1.7 billion population with a regional trade being merely at five percent against different challenges like extreme poverty, illiteracy, diseases and social instability.
That is why, the minister said, the South Asian Countries should take up concerted initiatives to ensure a sustainable SME sector through accelerating the regional trade among the countries in this part of the world. He referred to tremendous successes achieved by the present government in Bangladesh in various socio-economic fields like women empowerment, food security, human resources development, gender equality, lowering the maternal and infant mortality rate, poverty alleviation and raising life expectancy under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He expressed his firm belief that the active cooperation among the South Asian Countries in the light of the SME Summit- 2016 would be a greater opportunity for all in further strengthening the bilateral and multilateral investment in the field of SME development in the region.
“This summit is surely a milestone to enhance the opportunities for sharing knowledge, expertise and best practices as well as technology transfer among the participating countries,” he added.
Among others, South Asian Countries SME Forum Chairman Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon and NASCIB Advisory Committee Chairman Dr Momtaz Uddin Ahmed spoke on the occasion.
Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon said “this is the high time to develop and flourish our initiative by working together for the regional Small and Medium sector, leading to further improving the living standard in the region.”
Later, Amir Hossain Amu handed over awards among 15 SME entrepreneurs of Bangladesh for their outstanding contribution in the respective fields.
