Time to digitise SMEs

An opportunity has emerged to digitise small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in these times of Covid-19 pandemic, speakers at a webinar said on Sunday.
They also recommended creating skilled manpower and embracing modern technology to adapt to the new realities of the pandemic economy.
The pandemic damaged the SME sector worldwide, but it also created a new opportunity for technology-based SMEs and sub-contracting business in Bangladesh to flourish, they said.
The World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises-Bangladesh organised the webinar titled 'Post-Covid: SMEs' role -- Financial and industrial growth'.
Prof Mohammad Shariat Ullah of Dhaka University presented the keynote paper at the webinar moderated by SM Zillur Rahman, chief of the Bangladesh chapter of the association.
Speaking as the chief guest, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun said the government had announced a stimulus package of Tk 200 billion to help the SME sector ride out the pandemic crisis.
The ministry of industries (MoI) has taken an initiative to create a linkage between SME entrepreneurs and customers for proper marketing of SME products, he said.
The country's SME sector has started to turn around due to the ceaseless support extended by the government to the SMEs, he added.
The minister assured the SME entrepreneurs that the government would continue to provide policy support for the development of SMEs in the country.
Ambassador of Oman Taeeb Salim Alawi, Ambassador of Nepal Dr Banshidhar Mishra, SME Foundation Chairperson Dr Masudur Rahman, Head of SME of BRAC Bank Ltd. Syed Abdul Momen, SME organiser from the Republic of Maldives Mohammed Ali Janah, among others, participated in the webinar.

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