More than 300 students of Rajshahi University (RU) were given ideas and knowledge on how they can be self-reliant through transforming them into successful entrepreneurs in a daylong motivational meeting on Thursday.
They were also given the thought that becoming entrepreneurs instead of hunting jobs can be the best ways of generating employment opportunities and bolstering local economy through substantial and sustainable promotion of the business sector.
Small & Medium Enterprise Foundation (SME Foundation) belonging to the Ministry of Industries organized the meeting at RU Senate Building supported by RU Carrier Counseling and Development Centre (RUCDC).
RU Vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar and General Manager of Bangladesh Bank Kazi Rafiqul Hassan addressed the meeting as chief and special guests respectively with SME Foundation Chairperson Prof Masudur Rahman in the chair.
Pro-VCs Prof Sultan-Ul-Islam and Prof Humayun Kabir, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries Masudur Rahman, SME Foundation General Manager Nazim Hassan Sattar and RUCDC Assistant Director Imran Hossain also spoke.
Two plenary sessions, 'How to become a successful entrepreneur’ and ‘Sources of capital fund for new business and startups’, were also held on the occasion.
In his remarks, Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar said integrated efforts of all government and non-government entities concerned is also important for promoting the business sector in the region for strengthening its economic condition.
He said investment to the existing potential sectors is very important for generating employment opportunities side by side with improving living and livelihood conditions of people.
Prof Golam Sabbir urged the youths to come forward to be entrepreneurs instead of depending on only public sector jobs as the present government has taken massive measures for promoting entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship development is the precondition to development of the region. Women participation is very important to the development process. Women have enormous scopes of working in ICT sectors,” he added.
SME Foundation Boss Prof Masudur Rahman termed the SME sector as labour-intensive and viewed that successful promotion of the sector can be the best way of generating employment opportunities to accelerate economic growth. Besides, SME is very important for reducing the existing gap between the rural and urban areas.
The young entrepreneurs should come forward to establish small and medium industries in the region to create employment opportunities for regional development.
He, however, said the present government under the dynamic and prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has adopted various need-based measures for taking forward the SME sector.