Three-day SME fair kicks off in Dhaka

A three-day fair showcasing a wide range of products made by women entrepreneurs began in the capital on Thursday, providing a platform for small businesses to promote their products, reach new customers and explore market opportunities.
Around 60 women entrepreneurs are displaying and selling their products at the National SME Women Entrepreneurs’ Summit 2026, organised by the SME Foundation at the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) premises.
The fair, which will continue until 7 November, features a variety of products, including clothing and fashion items, handicrafts, jute goods, leather products, processed food, home décor, lifestyle products, jewellery, fashion accessories, cosmetics, personal care items and agricultural products. Digital and creative services are also being showcased.
The exhibition offers women entrepreneurs an opportunity to introduce their products directly to consumers, promote their brands and establish business connections beyond their existing markets.
The fair is open to visitors from 10am to 8pm every day.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farzana inaugurated the event on Thursday, while Industry Secretary and SME Foundation Chairperson Abdun Naser Khan presided over the ceremony.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mahbuba Farzana said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would support the SME Foundation in promoting its programmes for women entrepreneurs across the country, including at the grassroots level.
She said women entrepreneurs played an important role in national development and that their progress would contribute to the country’s overall economic advancement.
Abdun Naser Khan said the success of one woman entrepreneur could inspire others to venture into business. The SME Foundation would support women entrepreneurs in accessing loans and adopting modern technologies, he added.
Alongside the product exhibition, the foundation has arranged buyer-seller matchmaking sessions to connect participating entrepreneurs with potential institutional buyers, including corporate organisations, superstores, retail chains, online marketplaces, distributors, wholesalers, fashion and lifestyle brands, and exporters.
The initiative is expected to help women-led businesses expand their customer base, secure institutional orders and strengthen their market presence.
The three-day event also features seminars and interactive sessions on entrepreneurship, business start-up challenges, access to finance, market development, branding, digital marketing, e-commerce and business expansion.
A special session on mental health will focus on stress management, work-life balance and the challenges women entrepreneurs face in balancing business and personal responsibilities.
The summit will also recognise five successful women entrepreneurs for their outstanding contributions and showcase their business journeys to inspire aspiring entrepreneurs.
Despite growing participation by women in the cottage, micro, small and medium enterprise (CMSME) sector, many continue to face barriers to accessing finance, technology, skilled manpower, quality product development, branding and wider markets.
The SME sector contributes around 30% to Bangladesh’s economy, according to the SME Foundation.