Ahammad Parvej Khan
The entrepreneurial activities foster economic development and the government's plans for development of entrepreneurship among Bangladesh's youth to take advantage of the country's demographic dividend, said State Minister for Planning, Zonaid Saki on Friday.
He was addressing the celebration of ‘World Entrepreneur’s Day 2026’ arranged by the Dhaka School of Economics (DScE) in association with the Entrepreneurial Economists Club for the first time in Bangladesh.
Saki highlighted the importance of young entrepreneurs and their contribution to economic development throughout history.
The theme “Innovate and Lead with Impact”, emphasizing the vital role of innovation, leadership and entrepreneurship in driving inclusive and sustainable economic development in Bangladesh.
The celebration brought together faculty members, students, alumni, entrepreneurs, ecosystem experts, policymakers and business leaders to promote a stronger and more dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bangladesh.
The day-long programme began with an inauguration ceremony and an entrepreneurial rally from in the morning.
The rally was inaugurated by Professor Dr. A.K. Enamul Haque, Chairman of the Governing Body of Dhaka School of Economics and Director General of BIDS. Rehana Parvin, Director of Dhaka School of Economics, attended as Guest of Honour.
Around 200 faculty members, students, alumni and Entrepreneurial Economists Club members participated in the rally. The rally started from the DScE campus, proceeded towards Paribag, and returned to the campus.
The main formal session was held in the afternoon and focused on entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership and the development of an enabling entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The programme brought together distinguished policymakers, business leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, students and alumni. The session was hosted by Professor Dr. A.K. Enamul Haque, Rehana Parvin, Director of Dhaka School of Economics, and Forhadul Islam Bhuiyan, President of the Entrepreneurial Economists Club.
As part of the formal session, five entrepreneurs and five ecosystem experts from among the students and alumni presented their ideas and contributions to the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Their presentations reflected the spirit of the day's theme“Innovate and Lead with Impact”by highlighting how innovative ideas and entrepreneurial leadership can create meaningful economic and social impact.
The discussion particularly underscored the importance of empowering young people to transform innovative ideas into productive enterprises, create employment opportunities and contribute to Bangladesh's economic advancement.
Special Guest Anwar Faruque, Director, Bangladesh Krishi Bank and former Agriculture Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, emphasized the importance of a strong support system for entrepreneurship development.
He called for regular platforms bringing together entrepreneurs, ecosystem experts and policymakers to strengthen the country's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Special Guest Brig Gen Abul Kashem Md Fazlul Kader, ndc (rtd.) highlighted the importance of facilitating access to capital and emphasized the role of banks in supporting entrepreneurial success.
KSM Mostafizur Rahman, Managing Director of National Agricare Group, and Talat Mamun, Managing Director of Live TV, also addressed the gathering and shared their perspectives during the programme.
The World Entrepreneur’s Day 2026 celebration at Dhaka School of Economics reflected a clear message: innovation becomes truly meaningful when it creates impact, and entrepreneurship becomes transformative when it is guided by responsible leadership.
The theme “Innovate and Lead with Impact” therefore provided a unifying framework for the day's activities—encouraging young people not only to generate new ideas, but also to develop the leadership capacity required to turn those ideas into sustainable economic and social value.
The programme also reinforced the importance of collaboration among entrepreneurs, educational institutions, financial institutions, policymakers, businesses and ecosystem experts in building an enabling environment for entrepreneurship.
The event concluded with a renewed emphasis on developing a generation of innovative and responsible entrepreneurs capable of contributing to Bangladesh's economic transformation.
The programme was presided over by Professor Dr. A.K. Enamul Haque, while Rehana Parvin, Director of Dhaka School of Economics, delivered the welcome speech.
Forhadul Islam Bhuiyan, President of the Entrepreneurial Economists Club, delivered the closing remarks where the programme was started by the speech of Club Secretary Mehrab Hossain Sayem.
