Third Micro-Credit Fair begins in city

To develop the marketing facilities, especially for the commodities produced by the small-scale entrepreneurs, is required to encourage them in contributing to the main- stream economy, said finance adviser at a five-day micro credit fair 2008 that began in the Dhaka city Friday.

Technology transfer, skilled manpower, financial assistance and development of marketing facilities are needed for smooth production and they also help the small and medium scale entrepreneurs remain in the main stream economy, said AB Mirza M Azizul Islam in his chief guest address at the opening session of the fair that is to end on April 29 at the Bangladesh-China International Conference Center.
Organised by the government micro-credit window Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation, the chairman of the organisation, Wahiduddin Mahmud, chaired the session. PKSF managing director Quazi Mesbahuddin Ahmed also addressed the inaugural session.
Referring to poverty alleviation as one of the big challenges for the country, the finance adviser said diversified use of micro-credit and public-private initiatives in micro-credit operation are successfully working to face the challenge.
The micro-credit programmes have already been contributing to different sectors, like agriculture, livestock's and fisheries, especially fish cultivation, in the wetland.
The programmes also contribute to the pro-poor sectors, which would help to eliminate poverty as well as to develop the small-scale entrepreneurship.
As part of co-operation for the small-scale entrepreneurs, the PKSF has already included the micro-credit fair at their regular programme, aiming to create a scope for marketing the products of the small entrepreneurs of the country.
Regarding the marketing facilities for the small entrepreneurs, the PKSF chairman said the government has already developed different agricultural markets
for enhancing marketing facilities for the agricultural commodities.
The country also needs a micro-finance regulatory act which would provide legal support to the small entrepreneurs, said Wahiduddin Mahmud.
The PKSF organized the first micro-credit fair in 2005 as the focal point of International Micro-Credit Year and then the organization has taken the event as their annual programm, and now the organization is observing the third annual micro-credit fair.
135 stalls from 85 different non-government micro-credit organizations' will be set up at the fair.