The country’s SME business have called for formation of an effective association of the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME) to contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Bangladesh’s needs an apex body for SMEs as like as the central SME organisation in India, which is popularly known as “IamSMEofIndia,” said SME businessmen while addressing a seminar on ‘SME development: Role of an effective SME Association’ held at the Institute of Diploma Engineers of Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium in the capital.
Bangladesh Bank (BB) and Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) jointly organised the seminar.
BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman attended the seminar as chief guest while deputy high commissioner of India Sandeep Chakravorty and President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed as special guest. Director General of BIBM, Dr Taufic Ahmed Chowdhury presided over the programme.
Speaking as the chief guest, the central bank governor said: “The government has undertaken all the possible steps for the development of the SME sector in the country.”
“As we have strengthened our support to the MSMEs, organisations can now be the most-effective tool for the development of this sector,” he added.
The country has succeeded to face the global economic meltdown as the country always prioritised the development of thew SME sector, he added.
Atiur also informed that the private sector is the main driving force in attaining the growth and in case of Bangladesh, the MSMEs are the main contributors to a vibrant economy. So, this association is very much needed at this stage. Rajive Chawla in his key note speech said, “Vision for a developed country needs boosting SME sector and in this regard an association is very much relevant.”
“We must believe that we have to add value to each others. So, this kind of value addition needs an association,” he added.
In this regard, he further explained that an association is a must for finding only solutions, not a problem raising one. If this association works accordingly, development of a nation will be a matter of time. Inviting Bangladeshi SMEs delegation to India, he said his association is ready to extend all-out cooperation to form an association like IamSMEofIndia.
Sandeep Chakravorty said, “I’m tempted to say that the experience of SME of India can be replicated in Bangladesh as India has a lot of success story in this sector.”
Chakravorty also noted that India has a plan to setup an SME incubator in Bangladesh through which both the country will be benefited.
FBCCI president said the former Asian business giant China and India have now emerged as the global number one mostly because of their development in SME sector.
Meanwhile, a ten-member team of IamSMEofIndia, led by its chairman Rajiv Chawla, arrived in Dhaka on Friday to exchange views with different local SME organisations.
Integrated Association of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of India, popularly known as IamSMEofIndia, provides various services to the SME entrepreneurs, including credit facilitation at low interest rate, product marketing, buying raw material, product export, and deal signing with different companies like rating agencies, airlines and insurance companies.