The development of microenterprises can play a vital role in driving inclusive growth in Bangladesh’s
Economy, where microfinance can be a part only, speakers at told a seminar of the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) on Wednesday.
“For the development of microenterprises, the ways of thinking and the awareness among targeted people should be developed, the inequality of opportunities should be eliminated,
and the effective participation of the marginalized people of the society should be ensured,” said Dr Selim Jahan, an economist and also a former director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan chaired the seminar titled: “Small Ventures, Big Future: Microenterprise as
Engine of Inclusive Growth in Bangladesh|” held at the capital’s PKSF auditorium, says a release.
“People should be given the mean to dream, to go beyond their dreams, and they should be supported
with the necessary resources to realize their dreams …. Only then will development activities gain
momentum, and the economy will be stronger,” Dr Jahan said.
Dr Jahan said the tendency to consider infrastructural advancement as synonymous with development
is not correct. “While advancement would be, for example, an increase in the school enrolment of
children, improving the quality of education and ensuring access to quality education for the children
of disadvantaged communities would be development.”
He stressed on the need for ensuring conducive environment for enterprise development by
effectively combating violence and crimes, formulating necessary policies, and allocating resources.
“We all have to remain vocal to keep the government positively active to this end,” he added.
PKSF chairman highlighted various projects and programmess for skill development the PKSF is currently carrying out.
He said the success of one of PKSF’s projects was recently showcased at an international conference organized by the World Bank in Saudi Arabia.
In another instance, a PKSF-implemented project was acknowledged globally as best-in-class among around 700
projects supported by IFAD globally. “This has increased the country’s prestige in the world,” Zakir Ahmed Khan noted.
In the welcome speech, PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Quader said the PKSF is financing around
4 million microenterprises in the country. Under various projects, a wide range of services are being
provided for value chain development, and production and marketing of value-added certified
products through additional financing, technical assistance and technology transfer.
“The PKSF is preparing to expand its enterprise development initiatives to increase the productivity of
microenterprises to enable them to play a significant role in driving inclusive growth in the country,” he told the event.
InM Executive Director Dr Mustafa K Mujeri, BIDS Research Director Dr Kazi Iqbal, and MRA Executive
Director Mohammad Yakub Hossain also spoke on the occasion. PKSF Officials of all levels were
present at the programme.