Over Tk 193.6m orders received in SME fair

Light engineering sector has received encouraging responses from the businesses in the SME fair raising hope to develop an import substitute industry.

The 10th Small and Medium Enterprise Fair or SME Fair-2022 concluded on Saturday in the city amid huge responses of the visitors and entrepreneurs.

For the first time, small entrepreneurs received loan after evaluation of their applications at the SME fair which kicked off on November 24, 2022 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

More than 350 stalls were set up at this year's fair marking a total sale of Tk 121.5 million. They also received a total of Tk 193.6 million orders.

Entrepreneurs, who developed agricultural machinery, water taps, health shower and bathroom fittings said a good many companies and individual visitors, including real estate firms, purchased the products directly from the stalls at the fair and also assured to place further order.

Janata Engineering, based in Chuadnaga, received a purchase order worth Tk 8.2 billion from the SME fair to sell agricultural machinery.

Mohammad Asrafuzzaman, a representative of the company which manufactures modern agricultural machinery and equipment, said they have been participating at the SME fair every year in a bid to familiarise people with the machanisation of agriculture.

He said more campaigns are required to build awareness on the government's incentive packages on agriculture mechanisation for the farmers.

Talking to the FE at the fair, the entrepreneurs said once the import dependent industry now started to become self-reliant with the fiscal support and utilising local resources.

Solaiman Parsee Faisal, Managing Director of Faisal Polymer Industries Limited, said his company procures raw materials from local sources and manufactures water taps and bathroom fittings.

He started the factory in Kajla area in Jatrabari of Dhaka with only two to three people eight years ago. Now, it has become one of the most popular local bathroom fittings brands, Mr Faisal said.

"We procure scrap metal from local market and process it. Prices of our products are less than one-third of the imported water taps and bathroom fittings," he mentioned.

He urged the government to provide fiscal support to light engineering sector to help it grow further as the local industry has developed its capacity in some areas.

Rashedul Karim Munna, a board member of SME Foundation and Managing Director of Creation Private Limited, said SME industries are crippled with double taxation that is jeopardising its growth.

"The government should start thinking how it can support the SME sector to flourish," he said.

SME Foundation chairperson Dr Md Masudur Rahman said the light engineering sector is a promising and labour intensive one growing fast in the country.

"We need more campaign to encourage more entrepreneurs in light engineering sector to participate in SME fair," he said.

He also said that people still considered SME fair as a place for boutique and handicraft.

The diversified SME sector should be promoted to encourage more industries' participate in the fair, he added.

Entrepreneurs appreciated the SME fair organisers as they helped them showcase their products at a cheap rate compared to that of the other fairs.

Besides agricultural products, the 10-day fair showcased a wide range of products including boutiques, leather goods, jute goods, plastic products, ICT, cluster development, etc.

Mitul Khan of Shibony Boutique and Fashion said her handmade Saree and Aalwar Kamij has received huge responses uniqueness of the attires.

"I focused the Bangladesh's traditional dresses and national symbols in my dresses and Sarees," she said.

Sarees, embroidered with national bird Doel (magpie robin), became most popular at this year's fair, she added.

Shahedul Islam Helal's 'Beni Boonon' showcased jute made unique carpets, mattresses and other goods.

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