Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated the weeklong 11th National SME Product Fair to showcase products made by local small and medium enterprises.

The fair at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) has jointly been organised by the Industries Ministry and SME Foundation.

The objective of the fair is to promote, disseminate, sell, and the market expansion of products made by small and medium-scale entrepreneurs at local and international levels.

There will be initiatives to support small businesses. These include quality improvement programmes, policies to encourage collaboration between large companies and SMEs, and improved access to financing. The ministry also highlighted efforts to increase foreign participation in the fair to boost exports.

According to the organisers, the fair is exhibiting products from various sectors, like readymade garments, jute, handicrafts, leather goods, processed foods, light engineering, IT services, jewellery, and furniture.

Entrepreneurs from across Bangladesh are showcasing their traditional products.

Over 350 small and medium enterprises will take part. About 60 percent of the enterprises of the fair are led by women entrepreneurs.

Around 50 entrepreneur service-providing organisations, including 30 banks, and 15 government, and non-government organisations, are also participating in the event.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun in a recent press conference said that 75 more organisations are to take part from the readymade garment sector.

Moreover, 42 stalls will be set up by jute product organisations, 38 handcraft industries, 32 leather-made product industries, 27 agri-processing product sectors, and 23 light engineering industries, while 14 food products, 13 ICT firms, 12 SME cluster entrepreneurs from all over the country, 5 each from the herbal and jewellery industries, 4 plastic products, 3 electrical, and electronics and furniture industries and 19 government organisations.

The fair will remain open for visitors daily from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.

There will also be a secretariat of the SME Foundation, a media center, a blood donation center by Sandhani, a meeting booth, and stalls of various government organisations.

Moreover, about 25 banks and financial institutions, that disburse SME loans, will participate in the fair.

Organisers said that entrepreneurs will get an opportunity to directly discuss and consult with bankers along with clarifying the necessary information on SME loans.

In this case, if the banks agree, the entrepreneur can apply for the loan at the fair and, if possible, get an idea about obtaining the loan.

The fair will provide an idea about the foundation's various services for SME entrepreneurs and register interested entrepreneurs to participate in upcoming training and other programs.

Business Incubation centers operated in Dhaka and Chattagram under the supervision of SME Foundation will provide initial registration of startups/new entrepreneurs interested in using the incubation centers along with imparting ideas about the centers.

There will be awards for the best stalls in the fair for conventional and versatile products along with stall decoration.

There will also be stalls for platinum, gold, silver, and other co-sponsors.

Moreover, six seminars on competition law, smart financing, women entrepreneurs and women empowerment, entrepreneurial ecosystem, Smart Bangladesh, green SMEs, sustainable development, Smart Bangladesh, and Digital preparedness for the entrepreneurs will be organized during the 7-day fair.

Moreover, the fair will also assist in developing relationships, communication, and bridging of SME entrepreneurs with consumers. It will take creative opinions and suggestions from various quarters, he added.

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun presided over the programme where Senior secretary of Industries Ministry Zakia Sultana, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Mahbubul Alam and chairperson of the SME Foundation Professor Dr Md Masudur Rahman also spoke.

A documentary on Industries Ministry and SME Foundation was screened at the programme.

On this occasion, the prime minister handed over the crest and certificate to 7 micro, small, medium and start-up entrepreneurs who have won the National SME Entrepreneurship Award 2023.

Swapna Rani Sen expressed her feelings from the award recipients.