RU students get ideas on entrepreneurship development

More than 300 students of Rajshahi University (RU) were given ideas and knowledge on how they can be self-reliant by transforming them into successful entrepreneurs in a daylong motivational meeting on Thursday.

They were also given the thought that becoming entrepreneurs instead of hunting jobs can be the best way of generating employment opportunities and bolstering the local economy through substantial and sustainable promotion of the business sector.

Small & Medium Enterprise Foundation (SME Foundation) belonging to the Ministry of Industries organised the meeting at RU Senate Building supported by RU Carrier Counseling and Development Centre (RUCDC).

RU Vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar and General Manager of Bangladesh Bank Kazi Rafiqul Hassan addressed the meeting as chief and special guests respectively with SME Foundation Chairperson Prof Masudur Rahman in the chair.

Pro-VCs Prof Sultan-Ul-Islam and Prof Humayun Kabir, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries Masudur Rahman, SME Foundation General Manager Nazim Hassan Sattar and RUCDC Assistant Director Imran Hossain also spoke.

Two plenary sessions, ‘How to become a successful entrepreneur’ and ‘Sources of capital fund for new business and startups’, were also held on the occasion.

In his remarks, Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar said integrated efforts of all government and non-government entities concerned are also crucial for promoting the business sector in the region for strengthening its economic condition.

He said investment in the existing potential sectors is very important for generating employment opportunities side by side with improving the living and livelihood conditions of people.

Prof Golam Sabbir urged the youths to come forward to be entrepreneurs instead of depending on only public sector jobs as the present government has taken massive measures for promoting entrepreneurship.

“Entrepreneurship development is the precondition to the development of the region. Women’s participation is very important to the development process. Women have enormous scopes of working in ICT sectors,” he added.

SME Foundation Boss Prof Masudur Rahman termed the SME sector as labour-intensive and viewed the successful promotion of the industry can be the best way of generating employment opportunities to accelerate economic growth.

Besides, SMEs are very important for reducing the gap between rural and urban areas.