BM Report
Acting Country Director of the World Bank Bangladesh and Bhutan, Mr. Souleymane Coulibaly, said that Bangladesh is on the right track to become a high- and middle-income country by 2041.
“I strongly believe that the country is on the right track to become an upper-middle income country by 2041, as Bangladesh has maintained its economic growth over the years despite the COVID-19 pandemic”, he said while speaking as the Guest of Honor at a discussion meeting titled ‘Development of Microenterprises in Bangladesh: Role of the RAISE Project’ organized by PKSF.
As the session chair, eminent economist and Chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, said that Bangladesh needs to invest in microenterprises if the country wants to benefit from the demographic dividend. The development of microenterprises requires the implementation of capacity enhancement activities along with financial services.
“PKSF is working tirelessly to improve the socio-economic status of the people who lag behind,” said Dr. Nomita Halder, NDc, Managing Director of PKSF. “The RAISE project is working to improve the overall quality of life of the people, especially the youths, by enhancing their capacities,” she added.
In a presentation on ‘Development of Microenterprises in Bangladesh: Prospects and Challenges’, Mr. Md. Fazlul Kader, Additional Managing Director of PKSF, highlighted the role of various activities and projects of PKSF in the development of microenterprises. Besides, Mr. Dilip Kumar Chakravorty, General Manager (Programs) of PKSF and Project Coordinator, RAISE, presented on various aspects of the Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) project.
Former Dhaka University Professor M. A. Baqui Khalily discussed the presentations. Some participants in the RAISE project shared their experiences at the event. Besides, officials of PKSF and its partner organizations and representatives of the World Bank participated in the event.
To enhance human capacities in microenterprises, the RAISE project was launched in February 2022, jointly funded by PKSF and the World Bank. The project is being implemented in the urban and peri-urban areas of 333 upazilas in 64 districts of the country through 70 partner organizations.
