Dhaka: India’s National Small Industries Corporation has planned to establish an incubator centre in Bangladesh through which the corporation will train up Bangladeshi SME entrepreneurs to enhance their technical know-how.

NSCI general manager Pralay Dey said this during a discussion with the leaders of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry held in Dhaka on Saturday.

Bangladesh Bank deputy general manager SM Mohsin Hossain and DCCI president Hossain Khaled were present.

During the meeting, Hossain Khaled said that micro, small and medium enterprises are the life blood of Bangladesh economy. ‘Employment for 25% of our population is generated from SME sector.’

He urged the government and also the private sector to take holistic approach for the skill development of SME entrepreneurs.

Regarding establishing an incubator centre, he said entrepreneurs from SME sector would be benefitted much from appropriate technology, training and guidelines.

‘If we can ensure capacity building of SME, large industries would be able to outsource raw materials from this sector which will reduce dependency on import of raw materials from abroad. SME can help establish backward linkage industry creating more employment opportunities and expanding import substitute industry in the country,’ he said.

DCCI directors AKD Khair Mohammad Khan, Abdus Salam, Asif A Chowdhury and Nessar Maksud Khan took part in the open discussion.

DCCI vice-president Shoaib Choudhury gave vote of thanks.

Former DCCI senior vice-president Haider Ahmed Khan, MS Shekil Chowdhury, former vice-president Absar Karim Chowdhury, Abu Hurairah and DCCI secretary general AHM Rezaul Kabir were also present in the meeting.