Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and SME Foundation on Sunday inked a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to work on access to finance and skills.
Managing Director of SME Foundation Dr Md Mafizur Rahman and DCCI Secretary General Afsarul Arifeen signed the document on behalf of their respective organisations at DCCI in the city, BSS reported citing a press release.
DCCI President Rizwan Rahman and Chairman of SME Foundation Dr Md. Masudur Rahman were also present on the occasion.
Dr Md Masudur Rahman said that with the existence of disparity in the society it would not be possible to attain inclusive growth.
He said development of SME sector will ensure this inclusivity as the sector covers the major portion of the economy.
He said that both SMEF and DCCI will join hands to move together for policy advocacy.
"Bangladesh is going through a transition period and now we have to work for technological advancement. For product's innovation, we need research and development, moreover we have to go for high-end skill with higher wages to get better output," he added.
He termed private sector as the main engine of growth and said the private sector should lead the economy having a good synergy with the public sector.
During the signing ceremony, DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said that the CMSME sector sometimes face different challenges like easy financing, industry infrastructure, innovation, skill and modern technology despite this sector alone contribute more that 25 per cent of the GDP.
He said that DCCI and SME Foundation will work together for the inclusive development of CMSME.
Under this cooperation memorandum both the parties will also work for SME entrepreneurship development, policy advocacy, policy reforms, cluster development, export diversification, market exploration and capacity development to face the challenges of LDC graduation, he added.
Dr Md Mafizur Rahman said CMSME sector creates 85 per cent to 89 per cent employment generation in the country.
"SME's Contribution to GDP is now about 27 per cent to 28 per cent. We have more than 50 per cent women in the country and we have to facilitate them to be entrepreneur," he added.
DCCI Senior Vice President Arman Haque and members of the Board of Directors were also present on the occasion.
