The 8th National SME Product Fair 2020 began in the capital’s Bangabandhu International Convention Centre on Wednesday to showcase and promote small and medium enterprises.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the nine-day fair through an event held at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Industries Ministry Amir Hossain Amu were present on the occasion.
The prime minister handed over the "National SME Entrepreneurs Award-2020" to two female and three male entrepreneurs. Each winner received Tk100,000, a trophy, and a certificate.
The fair will remain open to visitors from 10:00am to 8:00pm. The entry is free.
A total of 296 SME entrepreneurs, including 195 women, are displaying their products, including jute, agriculture and leather goods, electronics and electrical items, light engineering products, handicraft and plastic and synthetic items.
Md Shafiqul Islam, managing director of SME Foundation, told Dhaka Tribune that the fair was an example of the growing participation of women entrepreneurs in the SME sector.
“Around 66% of the participants in the fair are woman and majority of the products are targeted for the woman visitors. This is a success that gradually the participation of woman entrepreneurs is growing,” he said.
“Ten years back the product displayed was only woman clothing and accessories but now they diversified to jute and leather goods, and even also to the IT-related field,” he added.
Products worth Tk16.93 crore were sold and SMEs received orders worth around Tk30.12 crore in the last seven SME fairs, according to a statement of the Industries Ministry issued on Tuesday.
It also said products worth Tk9.16 crore were sold and entrepreneurs received Tk6.44 crore orders in the regional SME fairs held in 23 districts in 2018-19.
Participants in the fair said they were expecting huge visitor turnout and sale orders, more than that of previous years.
Sayema Akter Ruma, owner of Dhara, a woman fashion house, said this year the enthusiasm was high and she was expecting a better visitor turnout and sales.