When it comes to the ease of setting up or conducting a business, Bangladesh has a long way to go.
In spite of the tremendously talented entrepreneurs that exist in this country, small and medium enterprises come up against roadblocks time and time again, causing many of the best business ideas never to see the light of day.
That is why it is so good to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announce that SME advisory centres are to be set up at district and upazila levels, acting as one-stop service centres for the small and medium entrepreneurs of this country.
The PM is right to point out the considerable employment opportunities that exist within our SME sector. Indeed, job creation is an area where we have lagged behind, and upcoming SMEs can solve that.
It is the private sector that has pushed this country to great heights in recent years -- the RMG sector, for example, has been nothing if not the engine of our economy.
Supporting our SMEs, and allowing them to flourish, is not only the desirable course for policy, but utterly necessary.
It is time to take down the institutional barriers that thwart entrepreneurship, and let promising start-ups know that the government is dedicated to creating an atmosphere conducive to SMEs operating freely.
The economy of Bangladesh has shown great resilience in the face of domestic problems, and that is testament to the hard work and creativity of our small and medium entrepreneurs.
Let us do right by them, and give them the resources they need.
