Staff Correspondent

The Ministry of Industries is gearing up to launch the "SME Policy 2025," a comprehensive roadmap aimed at bolstering Bangladesh's small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. This new policy is expected to play a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship, driving economic growth, and generating employment across the country.

The announcement came during a workshop titled "SME Policy 2025: Opportunities and Challenges, Role of Media" held on Wednesday at the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) Auditorium in Paltan, Dhaka. The event was jointly organized by the ERF and the SME Foundation.

Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, Chairperson of the SME Foundation, attended the event as the chief guest, alongside Anwar Hossain Chowdhury, Managing Director of the SME Foundation, and Taskin Ahmed, President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The program also featured a keynote presentation by Mohammad Jahangir Hossain, General Manager of the SME Foundation, who outlined the key elements of the draft policy.

The proposed SME Policy 2025 comes as the country’s previous SME policy, adopted in 2019, has expired. According to the draft presented, the new policy is designed to span the period from July 2025 to June 2030 and includes 83 strategic tools and 310 activities under 10 strategic goals to ensure the sustained development of the SME sector.

Speakers at the event emphasized the importance of effective implementation, consistent monitoring, and adequate budget allocations to ensure the success of the SME Policy 2025. They called for regular coordination meetings, the establishment of regional SME Foundation offices outside Dhaka, and the overall financial strengthening of the foundation.

The SME sector is the lifeblood of Bangladesh’s economy, contributing around 28% to the GDP and accounting for approximately 85% of industrial employment,” said SME Foundation Chairperson Md. Mushfiqur Rahman. He added that the foundation is already implementing various government policies, strategy papers, and initiatives to accelerate the growth of cottage, micro, small, and medium enterprises (CMSMEs).

The SME Foundation also underscored the need for continued financial and policy support from the government to nurture the sector, which plays a critical role in job creation and economic stability.