The SME Foundation yesterday awarded four women entrepreneurs for their outstanding contribution to their regional economy.
Of 90 applications, three women entrepreneurs were awarded for micro, small- and medium enterprises and the fourth for lifetime achievement.
“I hope the awards will encourage more women entrepreneurs to come up with innovative businesses,” said Industries Minister Dilip Barua at the National SME Women Entrepreneur Awards ceremony at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
“Bangladeshi women have been empowered a lot over the years. They are now contributing to the country’s economy significantly,” said Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
He assured the women entrepreneurs of arranging collateral-free loans with low interest rates.
Rokia Afzal Rahman, president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the SMEs are “the engine of growth of a country”.
“If women entrepreneurs use these engines, growth will be accelerated as women are committed, sincere and hard workers,” she added.
The SME sector accounts for around 40 percent of the national economy, said Md Sabur Khan, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“So the government should provide loans with a lower interest rate,” said Khan, while also calling for tax and VAT exemptions for new entrepreneurs.
“Government should exempt all types of taxes for new entrepreneurs for the first three years of their operations. This time is needed for bringing a new product to the market,” he said.
Barua said the SME Foundation has recently identified a total of 177 SME industry clusters to lend funds at single digit and without any collateral.
Renowned fashion designer Bibi Russell was bestowed the lifetime achievement award, for thrusting rural weavers and local designs to the global stage.
Gulshana Ali, proprietor of the Chittagong-based Tava Restaurant & Lounge, has clinched the award for the medium-sized enterprises, for building up an international standard restaurant.
Nilufa Yasmin from Rajshahi was felicitated for her micro-enterprise SN Fashion, which made a successful foray into the country’s handicrafts market.
Delwara Begum from Jamalpur has been awarded in the small enterprises category, for transforming a modest tailoring shop to a full-fledged boutique ‘Dipto Kuthi’.
Each winner received Tk 2 lakh as prize money, crest and a certificate, from leaders of the country’s various business chambers.
Md Mujibur Rahman, acting managing director of the foundation, also spoke.
-With The Daily Star input
