Eminent economist Dr. Selim Jahan spoke at a program organized at the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Bhaban in the capital today. Photo : PKSF

DHAKA, April 23, 2025 (BSS) - The development of microenterprises can play a 
vital role in driving inclusive growth in Bangladesh's economy, said renowned 
economist Dr Selim Jahan. 

"While microfinance is one of the components of enterprise development, they 
aren't synonymous. For the development of microenterprises, the ways of 
thinking and the awareness among targeted people should be developed, the 
inequality of opportunities should be eliminated, and the effective 
participation of the marginalized people of the society should be ensured," 
he said.

The views were shared by Dr Selim Jahan, also a former director of the United 
Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at an event titled "Small Ventures, Big 
Future: Microenterprise as Engine of Inclusive Growth in Bangladesh" held at 
Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) Bhaban in the capital today, said a 
press release.

He said people should be given the mean to dream, to go beyond their dreams, 
and they should be supported with the necessary resources to realize their 
dreams ... "Only then development activities will gain momentum, and the 
economy will be stronger." 
 
Dr Jahan said the tendency to consider infrastructural advancement as 
synonymous with development is not correct. "While advancement would be, for 
example, an increase in the school enrolment of children, improving the 
quality of education and ensuring access to quality education for the 
children of disadvantaged communities would be development," he continued.

He stressed on the need for ensuring conducive environment for enterprise 
development by effectively combating violence and crimes, formulating 
necessary policies, and allocating resources. "We'll have to remain vocal to 
keep the government positively active to this end," he added.

PKSF Chairman Zakir Ahmed Khan, who chaired the event, said PKSF is currently 
implementing various projects and programs for skills development.

The success of one of PKSF's projects was recently showcased at an 
international conference organised by the World Bank (WB) in Saudi Arabia.

In another instance, a PKSF-implemented project was acknowledged globally as 
best-in-class among around 700 projects supported by IFAD globally. "This has 
increased the country's prestige in the world."

In the welcome speech, PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Quader said the PKSF 
is financing around 4 million microenterprises in the country.

Under various projects, a wide range of services are being provided for value 
chain development, and production and marketing of value-added certified 
products through additional financing, technical assistance and technology 
transfer. 

PKSF is preparing to expand its enterprise development initiatives to 
increase the productivity of microenterprises to enable them to play a 
significant role in driving inclusive growth in the country.

InM Executive Director Dr Mustafa K Mujeri, BIDS Research Director Dr Kazi 
Iqbal, and MRA Executive Director Mohammad Yakub Hossain also spoke on the 
occasion. 

PKSF Officials of all levels were present at the programme.