Integrated Association of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of Bangladesh was launched yesterday in the capital with an aim to provide small and medium-size enterprises with proper guidelines, business plans and easy loans.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman inaugurated the new organisation – IamSMEofBangladesh – in Radisson Blue Water Garden Hotel as the chief guest while Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran and European Union Ambassador Pierre Mayaudon were present as special guests.
The BB governor also launched the new website (http://iamsmeofbangladesh.com/) for this newly established organisation.
In his address, Atiur said: “IamSMEofBangladesh would be able to bring meaningful changes to the lives of MSME entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. This is possible because our closest neighbour India plays a pro-active role in IamSMEofIndia.”
“This will turn out to be another milestone in our joint-campaign for developing SMEs in the region.”
Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran said: “The journey is not just of Bangladesh, but together. Both countries are very similar and we are not tools to each other, we have to move together.”
“SME provides opportunities to young entrepreneurs,” he added.
While addressing the programme, EU Ambassador in Dhaka Pierre Mayaudon said SME may help reducing illegal migration as job opportunities are open for the country’s young entrepreneurs.
Rajiv Chawla, chairman of IamSMEIndia, Sukamal Sinha Chowdhury, advisor of IamSMEofBangladesh, Hossain Khaled, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce, SK Sur Chowdhury, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, and Dr Toufic Ahmad Choudhury, director general of BIBM, among others, addressed the ceremony.
IamSMEofBangladesh will get direct and indirect cooperation of Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management and many other SME organisations.
The SME programme on its second day will be held in Bangladesh Bank Training Academy at Mirpur followed by sector-wise knowledge sharing gathering and a grand women night at Hotel Westin on the third day.