A Buyer-Seller Meet has been organized on 08-09 September 2025, at the initiative of SME Foundation and with the support of the World Bank, with the aim of establishing market connectivity for the products produced by entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs of SME clusters across the country and providing assistance to established businessmen in finding versatile suppliers of products.
In the two-day buyer-seller meet, 25 SME clusters and 46 women entrepreneurs from Dhaka, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Sirajganj, Srimangal, Bogra, Kushtia, Gaibandha, Jessore, Manikganj, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Rangamati and Jamalpur in the leather, light engineering, weaving, hosiery fashion and home textiles, embroidery, wood and bamboo-cane, pottery and jewellery sectors will showcase their products and supply capabilities to commercial buyers, buying institutions and established businessmen.
On 08 September 2025, at the Bangladesh Institute of Architects auditorium in Agargaon, the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Buyer-Seller Meet 2025’ was presided over by Md. Musfiqur Rahman, Chairperson of the SME Foundation, as the chief guest. Nuruzzaman NDC. The special guests were Mr. Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Vice Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, Ms. Nasreen Fatema Awal, President of Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh, Mr. Abida Sultana, President of Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Melita Mehzabin, Professor of IBA, Dhaka University, and Mr. Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, Managing Director of SME Foundation. The welcome address was delivered by Mr. Farzana Khan, Deputy Managing Director of SME Foundation, and the vote of thanks was given by Mr. Md. Rubaiyat Sarwar, Managing Director of Innovation Consulting.
In 2013, a study was conducted by the Foundation to identify 177 clusters across the country, with a total number of workers and laborers of about 2 million, of which 74% and 26% were male and 20% were female. The annual turnover of about 70,000 enterprises in 177 clusters spread across 51 districts is about 30,000 crore taka. Later, 20 more new clusters have been identified. Among the identified clusters, light engineering, handloom, nakshi kantha, small garments, handicrafts, furniture, bamboo-cane, jewellery, leather products clusters are notable. Entrepreneurs in the clusters mainly face problems related to product marketing, proper financing, technical and entrepreneurial capacity, product quality improvement, working environment, health and safety.
In SME clusters, various development programs are being implemented under the initiative of SME Foundation, including infrastructure development, integration of modern technology and machines, new design and product diversification, quality improvement training, production of versatile products through raw material recycling, policy advocacy for industrial product declaration and obtaining GI of products, cluster-based loan provision, experience exchange, ICT support, establishment of Common Facility Center (CFC). As part of the cluster-based development program for the development of small and medium industry clusters, SME Foundation assesses the development needs of clusters in different parts of the country and takes action in the clusters based on the need.
Development needs assessment activities have already been completed in 95 clusters and the foundation is continuously implementing various development programs in 40 clusters. About 185 crore taka of loans has been distributed among about 2800 entrepreneurs of different clusters under the credit wholesale activities and incentive packages of SME Foundation. Entrepreneurs have been assisted in acquiring banking capabilities through training on banking and programs with banks and various financial institutions. The objectives of the buyer-seller meeting are:
- To connect cluster-based grassroots entrepreneurs with the market system;
- To connect cluster entrepreneurs with commercial buyers and purchasing organizations;
- To support entrepreneurs in their business development through mentoring;
- To introduce cluster entrepreneurs to their desired buyers and to help buyers find new sources of products;
- To create opportunities for cluster entrepreneurs to present their production capabilities to commercial buyers and purchasing organizations;
- To build bridges between buyers and sellers; and
- To help commercial purchasing organizations find their regular suppliers.
10 women entrepreneurs participating in the competition will present their business ventures before the jury board. After evaluating the presentations and overall performance of the contestants according to the prescribed criteria, the first, second, and third place winners will be awarded on the last day of the Buyer-Seller Conference 2025.
