Govt to set up SME exhibition centre in Dhaka

The government will set up a modern exhibition centre in the city to sell the products of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to help the sector further expand with increased trade and business.
The centre will be set up under the 'Strategic' Support to SME Sector Training and Capacity Building Project' of the Ministry of Industry, an official handout said.
A meeting held here yesterday with Industries Secretary Dr M Nurul Amin in the chair discussed matters related to the centre and also reviewed the progress of the ministry's different projects, being implemented under the current fiscal year's Annual Development Programme (ADP).
The meeting was informed that steps would be taken to modernize the BSCIC design centre, skill development centre and the small and cottage industries training Institute (SCIT) to raise the capacity of SMEs and create massive employment opportunities in the sector.
The total ADP allocation in 2007-08 for the Ministry of Industry is Taka 156.8 crore to implement 14 projects, of which Taka 119.11 crore is provided by the government and the rest Taka 37.69 crore is coming as project assistance.
Nearly 17 per cent of the fund being provided by the government was spent till August this year while a project was undertaken at an estimated cost of Taka 58 crore to further strengthen the BSTI, the meeting was told.
High officials of the ministry, head of the different corporations and organizations and also the concerned project directors were present at the meeting.