Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged stakeholders to establish proper waste management systems in the construction of industries and factories to save the country and its people from the adverse effects of climate change and to make industrialization environmentally friendly.
She said, “We need to build industries. But everyone must ensure waste management and accept it. Do not ruin the country, or yourselves, by trying to save a little money on chemicals—that is my request.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this during her speech as the chief guest at the inauguration of the ’11th National Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Product Fair-2024′ at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital this morning.
Noting that our country is “small in geographic boundaries but large in population,” she said, “In this context, everything in our country should be done in a very planned manner. It should be healthy. Everyone must focus on ensuring that we are not harmed by the impacts of climate change.”
The head of government said, “We want to make our industrial sector more environmentally friendly because the industrial sector should be wholly environmentally friendly.”
She further mentioned, “Wherever you set up any industry, make sure that the waste from your industry does not fall into the river, pollute our water, or contaminate the soil. I am making a special request for attention to this.”
The Prime Minister said, “I am very happy because 60 percent of the entrepreneurs at today’s SME product fair are women.”
Congratulating the women, she said, “A society cannot progress by leaving a part of it behind. If we can prepare all the men and women of our country to be entrepreneurs, the country will develop rapidly. Therefore, we need female entrepreneurs.”
Since the Ministry of Industry and the SME Foundation provide special benefits to female entrepreneurs, she suggested that men could join by involving the women (wives, daughters, sisters) from their households.
She said, “Because nowhere else can you get loans at 4 percent interest. So, especially our young people can take advantage of this opportunity. Because we want to create more entrepreneurs in our industrial sector.”
The Prime Minister said that in the 2007-08 fiscal year, the industrial sector contributed 17.77 percent to the GDP, which increased to 37.56 percent in the 2022-23 fiscal year, and Bangladesh is progressing today in almost every economic indicator. Our per capita income has risen to 2,796 US dollars, which was only 543 US dollars in the 2005-06 fiscal year during the BNP regime.
She also mentioned that if it weren’t for the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the subsequent sanctions and counter-sanctions causing global economic downturns and inflation, this progress could have been even greater. Additionally, she referred to the Israeli aggression in Gaza as genocide.
The Prime Minister presented crests and certificates to the seven winners of the ‘National SME Entrepreneur Award-2023’ in micro, small, medium, and start-up categories.
Industry Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun presided over the event. Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Industry Zakia Sultana and FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam spoke as special guests. Dr. Md. Masudur Rahman, Chairperson of the SME Foundation, delivered the welcome speech. On behalf of the award-winning SME entrepreneurs of 2023, Swapna Rani Sen, proprietor of ‘Rangpur Crafts,’ expressed her feelings at the event.
At the event, the Prime Minister unveiled the cover of a book on the 2024-2028 action plan prepared by the Ministry of Industry as per the Awami League’s election manifesto.
A documentary on the ‘SME Fair 2024’ was shown at the event.
After the inaugural session, the Prime Minister visited various stalls at the fair.
