A three-day National SME Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit and Product Fair began in Dhaka today (5 November), offering women entrepreneurs opportunities to market their products, access financing and expand business networks.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farzana inaugurated the event at the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) premises in Sobhanbagh. Organised by the SME Foundation, the summit and fair will continue until 7 November.
Around 60 women entrepreneurs are showcasing and selling their products at the fair. The programme also includes buyer-seller matchmaking, entrepreneurs’ meetups, seminars, mental health awareness sessions and recognition for successful women entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mahbuba Farzana said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would help promote the SME Foundation’s programmes for women entrepreneurs at the grassroots level.
“Women entrepreneurs moving forward means the country moving forward,” she said.
The event was chaired by Industries Secretary and SME Foundation Chairperson Abdun Naser Khan. Nasrin Fatema Awal, president of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh and a member of the SME Foundation’s board, attended as a special guest.
Abdun Naser Khan said the success of one woman entrepreneur could inspire others. He said the SME Foundation would support women entrepreneurs in accessing business loans and adopting advanced technology.
Products on display include clothing and fashion items, handicrafts, jute and leather goods, food and processed food, home décor, lifestyle products, jewellery, cosmetics, agricultural products, and digital and creative services.
The fair is open to visitors daily from 10am to 8pm.
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