Buyer-supplier summit begins in city

FE REPORT

A two-day buyer-supplier summit conference began at the Institute of Architects Bangladesh in the city's Agargaon area on Monday aiming to establish market linkages for entrepreneurs hailing from SME clusters across the country.

Small and Medium Enterprise Foundation (SMEF) organised the event with the support from the World Bank. As many as 46 enterprises from 25 SME clusters-including leather, light engineering, handloom, hosiery, nakshi kantha, wood and bamboo products, pottery, and jewellery from different districts are showcasing their products and supply capabilities to commercial buyers, buying houses, and other businesses.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Md Nuruzzaman was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony presided over by SME Foundation Chairperson Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, a statement said.

Export Promotion Bureau Vice-Chairman Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, President of the Women Entrepreneur Association of Bangladesh Nasreen Fatema Awal, President of Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abida Sultana, Professor of IBA, Dhaka University Dr. Melita Mehjabeen and SME Foundation (SMEF) Managing Director Anwar Hossain Chowdhury were present as the special guests.

Speaking on the occasion, Mushfiqur Rahman said a 2013 study identified 177 SME clusters across the country, engaging around 2.0 million workers, of whom 74 per cent are men and 26 per cent are women. Spread across 51 districts, these clusters host about 70,000 enterprises with an annual turnover of around Tk 300 billion, he said.

Cluster entrepreneurs typically face challenges in product marketing, access to finance, technical and entrepreneurial skills, product quality improvement, working conditions, and occupational health and safety.

To address these issues, the SME Foundation has been implementing programmes on infrastructure development, adoption of modern machinery and technology, design and product diversification, quality improvement training, multi-purpose production through raw material recycling, policy advocacy for industrial product recognition and GI certification, cluster-based financing, experience-sharing, ICT support, and establishment of Common Facility Centers (CFCs).

As part of its cluster development initiatives, the foundation has already conducted needs assessments in 95 clusters and continues to implement development programmes in 40 of them.

According to the organiser, 10 women entrepreneurs will present their business ventures before a jury board at the event. Based on set criteria, winners of the first, second, and third positions will be awarded on the final day of the conference.

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