ABM Khorshed Alam, Managing Director of SME Foundation, speaks at a meeting with World Bank trade delegation at his office in Dhaka Tuesday.

The World Bank (WB) has expressed interest to work with the SME Foundation for ensuring overall development of the rural economy by extending cooperation to entrepreneurs in the grassroots levels.

A four-member WB delegation expressed this desire while exchanging views with ABM Khorshed Alam, Managing Director of SME Foundation, at the latter’s office in Dhaka Tuesday.

Imtiaz Uddin Ahmed, Senior Sustainable Development Adviser of Water and Sanitaion Programme of the WB in Dhaka led the delegation while Abdul Motaleb, WB’s Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist, Dr Tanvir Ahsan, Director of Debcon and Md Abul Kashem, Managing Director of ACS International attended the meeting.

Imtiaz Uddin Ahmed said, the global lender, with collaboration of private entrepreneurs, will take an initiative to supply pure drinking water to the rural people through setting pipelines.

Besides, it will take a programme to create new entrepreneurs in the field of sanitation by inspiring them about effective utilisation of modern technology in the sanitary system, Ahmed said.

Moreover, the WB delegation made proposals on how it could help entrepreneurs, on behalf of the SME Foundation, in adopting updated technology, availing loans and also incorporating water and sanitation services as SME booster sector in the SME Policy.

ABM Khorshed Alam, Managing Director of SME Foundation, informed the WB team that the present government has taken some important steps for ensuring better water and sanitation services in the country.

The Foundation, in the next few years, would create hundreds of trainers skilled in water and sanitary issues, each of whom in turn would train at least ten persons in their locality for providing necessary assistance to the entrepreneurs for ensuring a sustainable progress in the field, he said.

The Foundation is committed to work together with all stakeholders for the sake of national development, economic growth, massive employment and women empowerment through expanding SME sector, he continued.

News: The Daily Sun/Bangladesh/05-Sep-12