President Md. Sahabuddin said, the role of small and medium entrepreneurs in creating massive employment with little capital is undeniable, in addition to poverty alleviation and improvement of living standards of a large population of the country.
The President said all this in a speech given on the occasion of 'National SME Product Fair-2024' to be held on May 19.
Welcoming the initiative of the Small and Medium Entrepreneur Foundation (SME Foundation) to organize the 11th National SME Product Fair 2024, the President said, he extended his best wishes and congratulations to all those involved in the small and medium entrepreneur, including entrepreneurs and institutions participating in the fair.
He said that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important sector in the socio-economic context of Bangladesh. The role of this sector in creating massive employment with little capital is undeniable, in addition to poverty alleviation and improvement of living standards of the country's large population.
Appreciating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's initiative, President Md. Sahabuddin said that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government has formulated the SME Policy-2019 to ensure the development of the SME sector and sustainable industrialization.
The National Industrial Policy lays emphasis on creating an enabling environment for the development of SME industries as key drivers of industrialization. As a result of the successful implementation of Vision 2021, Bangladesh has become a middle-income digital Bangladesh today. Through the proper implementation of the National Industrial Policy and SME Policy, everyone should continue to make earnest efforts to increase the contribution of the SME sector to the GDP from the existing 25 percent to 32 percent.
He said, I hope that the National SME Product Fair-2024 will play an important role in increasing the mutual connection of entrepreneurs as well as improving the quality of products, expanding the market of manufactured products and increasing the export of SME products.
The President called on all concerned including government, private institutions and entrepreneurs to play a positive role in ensuring the proper development of the SME sector with the aim of creating a developed and prosperous 'Smart Bangladesh' by 2041.