The a2i’s Digital Centers will act as ‘CMSME One Stop Service Centres’ to provide access to capital and other financial services including loan facilities to the cottage, micro, small and medium enterprises (CMSME) entrepreneurs spread across the country. Senior Secretary of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Divisio NM Zeaul Alam inaugurated this program in a joint initiative organized by a2i and SME Foundation at Agargaon of the capital on Wednesday.
While speaking as the chief guest, the Senior Secretary of ICT Division NM Zeaul Alam said, to build a smart Bangladesh, we have to make our entrepreneurs smart as well. For that, we have to build digital centers as one-stop service centers or one-stop service hubs in a blended way. For this, small and marginal level entrepreneurs across the country need to create a smart database with accurate and necessary information. I believe that the implementation of this new initiative inaugurated today will further expand the activities of a2i and SME Foundation at the marginal level and through which local entrepreneurs will also benefit.
Additional Secretary of Industry Ministry Kazi Sakhawat Hossain, a2i Joint Project Director (Joint Secretary) Nahid Sultana Mallick, Director of Bangladesh Bank (SME and Special Programs Department) Md. Zaker Hossain. The project director (joint secretary) of a2i Dr. Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir and A2I’s Policy Advisor Anir Chowdhury were connected online. While the Managing Director of SME Foundation Dr. Md. Mofizur Rahman presided over the event.
The Project Director (Joint Secretary) of a2i Dr. Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, while speaking as the special guest, said that digital centers have been set up at the district, Upazila, municipal and union levels in order to ensure that no division is created when it comes to delivering digital citizen services to people’s doorsteps. From these digital centers, a2i is regularly taking new initiatives to provide all-round support for CMSME entrepreneurs from trade licenses to providing necessary documents.
While delivering the speech, Anir Chowdhury said that access to services, access to market, access to skills and access to finance should be expanded for small entrepreneurs spread across the country by ensuring the digital identity of entrepreneurs to create habit in digital lifestyle. In setting up SME hubs in each district and Upazila, the entrepreneurs of our a2i Digital Center will play a special role in providing useful services. We are committed to set up one digital center-based CMSME one-stop service center in each Upazila within the next year with the initiative of a2i and SME Foundation to provide new digital services including tax return, trade license.
While speaking as the president of the event, Dr. Md. Mofizur Rahman said, labor-intensive and low-capital CMSME sector has an important contribution to the development of Bangladesh’s socio-economic conditions, employment generation and desired economic growth. SME Foundation and a2i have started work to establish all Union/Upzilla Digital Centers as ‘One Stop Service Centers’ to provide information, advice and skills to the entrepreneurs of the CMSME sector in the country and to ensure easy financing for the entrepreneurs of this sector. Initially, the implementation of the pilot program was started in 30 Union Digital Centers in 27 Upazilas of 22 districts. These centers will act as ‘one-stop service centres’ for the promotion of SME industries where entrepreneurs can avail business start-up and expansion, business and technical training support and consultancy services.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between a2i and SME Foundation to set up a Digital Center-based CMSME One Stop Service Center. Project Director (Joint Secretary) of a2i, Dr. Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir and Managing Director of SME Foundation Dr. Md. Mofizur Rahman signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.
The General Manager of SME Foundation Md. Nazim Hasan Sattar delivered a welcome speech at the event. In addition, a2i Capacity Development Coordinator Ashok Biswas gave a presentation on existing problems, current activities and possibilities in providing services to CMSME entrepreneurs in the event moderated by Suman Chandra Saha, Deputy General Manager of SME Foundation. Among others, representatives of a2i, SME Foundation, bank and financial sector institutions, entrepreneurs from all over the country and journalists from various media were present.