"The women will also be able to enhance their knowledge through exchanging expertise of entrepreneurs across the Asian region and develop joint market strategies," he said.

He was inaugurating the six-day Eid fair of goods produced by the Asian women entrepreneurs on the National Shooting Federation premises at Gulshan.

Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh (Weab) and Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka are jointly organising The '3rd Asian Women Entrepreneurs Eid Fair 2006'.

Bank Alfalah Limited is the lead sponsor while JOBS Bangladesh is supporting the event.

Apart from the women entrepreneurs of the host country, entrepreneurs from other Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Indonesia and Iran have put their products on display at the fair, which include gift items, women's wear, herbal products, hair and weight control, jewellery, fabric, handicrafts, Maslin and silk sarees, boutique and tribal dresses.

The fair will also make convenience to the local Eid shoppers by presenting a wide variety of products from different countries.

Some 65 stalls have been set up at the fair, which will remain open from 11am to 10pm everyday until October 6. The entry fee is Tk 10 a person.

On the sidelines of the fair, three seminars titled 'Fair Participation and Marketing', 'Finance and Managing Growth', and 'Promoting Regional Women Entrepreneurship' will be held. Of the three seminars, the first one will take place today at the fair venue. The seminar on 'Finance and Managing Growth' will be held on Wednesday and the third one on Thursday.

Entrepreneurs expected that a number of business agreements will be signed among the entrepreneurs of different countries on the sidelines of the fair.

The products of high and middle quality with affordable prices will lure local buyers' interests to add to their Eid shopping baskets, Weab Vice President Naaz Farhana Ahmed expressed her hope.