8,250 one-stop service centres in making to help entrepreneurs

The state-owned Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Foundation and the Aspire to Innovate (A2I) of the ICT Division have begun working to transform 8,250 digital centres across the country into ‘One Stop Service Centers’ to help entrepreneurs.

The service centres will be used to provide information, advice and skill enhancement training to the entrepreneurs of the Cottage, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (CMSME) sector.

SME Foundation and A2I have signed a memorandum of understanding to that end on Wednesday.

At the same time, a pilot project has been launched in 30 digital centres across 27 upazilas of 22 districts, reads a press release.

NM Ziaul Alam PAA, senior secretary of Information and Communication Technology Division, inaugurated the programme in the conference room of SME Foundation at Agargaon. Md. Mofizur Rahman, managing director of the SME Foundation, presided over the programme.

“This is the high time for entrepreneurs to keep pace with smart technology,” said Ziaul Alam.

Also speaking on the occasion, Dr Md Mofizur Rahman, managing director of the SME foundation, said, “The Labor-intensive and low-capital CMSME sector is an important contributor to the development of Bangladesh’s socio-economic conditions, employment generation and desired economic growth.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the opening ceremony of the 8th National SME Product Fair instructed authorities concerned to establish SME consultation centres in all districts and upazilas for the development of small and medium industries in the country.