Women-friendly SMEs key to sustainable growth: Amu

South Asian Countries� SME Summit 2016 begins

Industries Minister Amir Hussain Amu yesterday said women-friendly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would play a vital role to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity in the South Asian region including Bangladesh.

The role of women, especially in the SME sector, is highly appreciable as they are making a commendable contribution in the regional economy, the minister said while addressing South Asian Countries’ SME Summit 2016 at a local hotel in the capital.
“Half of the population of the South Asian countries is women. The women involved in SMEs are playing important role in strengthening regional economy. Specially, there are radical changes in regional economy because of women’s involvement in SME sector,” he added.
“SME products in Asian region earned its name for quality and prices in world market, he also said. It is happened due to skilled manpower, multi-type goods, value added and rich culture,” he also said.
South Asian Countries SME Forum and National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) jointly organised the summit with association of the Ministry of Industries and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Among others, Industries Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Principal Secretary of West Bengal Government Rajiva Singha, President of South Asian Countries SME Forum Mirza Nurul Gani, vice-president of FBCCI Mahbubul Alam and Chairman of NASIB Advisory Council Professor Momtaz Uddin Ahmed also spoke at the conference.
Besides, leaders, representatives and top policy makers of SMEs, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan attended the conference.
Terming South Asian SME goods as rising industrial sector, Amu said: “SME sector is playing a vital in south Asian economy. It is playing important role in helping economic growth, employment generation, empowering women and foreign currency earning.”
There are huge markets in South Asia as here lives around 1.7 billion people, the minister said.
“There is no single region with such a huge population across the world like South Asian region.
 The region is highly potential for economic growth. Poverty, illiteracy, diseases and social unrest are major barrier for development of the region,” Amu observed.
He suggested for technology exchange among the SAARC countries which would help to produce more quality SME products.

Women-friendly SMEs key to sustainable growth: Amu

South Asian Countries� SME Summit 2016 begins

Industries Minister Amir Hussain Amu yesterday said women-friendly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would play a vital role to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity in the South Asian region including Bangladesh. The role of women, especially in the SME sector, is highly appreciable as they are making a commendable contribution in the regional economy, the minister said while addressing South Asian Countries SME Summit 2016 at a local hotel in the capital. Half of the population of the South Asian countries is women. The women involved in SMEs are playing important role in strengthening regional economy. Specially, there are radical changes in regional economy because of womens involvement in SME sector, he added. SME products in Asian region earned its name for quality and prices in world market, he also said. It is happened due to skilled manpower, multi-type goods, value added and rich culture, he also said. South Asian Countries SME Forum and National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) jointly organised the summit with association of the Ministry of Industries andthe Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). Among others, Industries Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Principal Secretary of West Bengal Government Rajiva Singha, President of South Asian Countries SME Forum Mirza Nurul Gani, vice-president of FBCCI Mahbubul Alam and Chairman of NASIB Advisory Council Professor Momtaz Uddin Ahmed also spoke at the conference. Besides, leaders, representatives and top policy makers of SMEs, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan attended the conference. Terming South Asian SME goods as rising industrial sector, Amu said: SME sector is playing a vital in south Asian economy. It is playing important role in helping economic growth, employment generation, empowering women and foreign currency earning. There are huge markets in South Asia as here lives around 1.7 billion people, the minister said. There is no single region with such a huge population across the world like South Asian region. The region is highly potential for economic growth. Poverty, illiteracy, diseases and social unrest are major barrier for development of the region, Amu observed. He suggested for technology exchange among the SAARC countries which would help to produce more quality SME products.