IDLC Finance PLC, in collaboration with Adda Chole, successfully concluded their unique lifestyle exhibition IDLC Purnota Utshob 2026 ft. Adda Chole at Aloki, Dhaka. The two-day event brought together over a hundred women entrepreneurs from diverse business sectors, along with promising domestic brands, customers and visitors, for a celebration of homegrown entrepreneurship, creativity and excellence in local products.

The formal inauguration of the event took place in the graceful presence of Harry Thompson, First Secretary (Political), Australian High Commission in Dhaka; Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Director, SMESPD, Bangladesh Bank; Nazeem Satter, Deputy Managing Director of SME Foundation; Ananya Wahid Kader, Regional Lead (Asia-Pacific), MSME, Micro and Embedded Finance, IFC; and M Jamal Uddin, Managing Director and CEO, IDLC Finance PLC.

Held on October 2 and 3, the festival provided participating entrepreneurs with an opportunity to showcase their products, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and most importantly, interact with customers beyond digital means. The event featured businesses across a wide range of categories, including clothing, jewelry, home décor, leather goods, skincare and makeup, all under one roof.

Throughout the two-day event, visitors had the opportunity to explore products from the participating brands and engage with the craftswomen behind them. Alongside the marketplace, the festival created space for conversations, networking and community engagement as well, bringing together ambitious and likeminded women in a cozy, uplifting ambience. A dedicated Kids Zone at the venue also offered children an enjoyable outlet, making the event welcoming for the whole family.

Speaking about the initiative, M Jamal Uddin, Managing Director and CEO of IDLC Finance, said, “Over the years, our specialized SME product Purnota has established itself as a platform through which we can connect with women entrepreneurs, understand their unique challenges and create opportunities accordingly for them to thrive. Events like Purnota Utshob allow us to see the businesses, products, and people behind these enterprises. Our partnership with Adda Chole also adds a significant dimension to this effort.”

Adnan Rashid, Head of SME, IDLC Finance, said, “Purnota Utshob has given many homegrown small and medium entrepreneurs an opportunity to build relationships with customers and other businesses. We have seen through our previous Purnota initiatives that these interactions can be very meaningful for entrepreneurs, particularly those who are still building their brands and need exposure to wider customer segments.”

Beyond the exhibition floor, participating entrepreneurs were also offered practical support. Each was assigned a dedicated Women Relationship Manager (RM) to provide personalized support and guidance, and received free Business Identification Number (BIN) creation support, with the associated cost borne by IDLC. In line with this, participating entrepreneurs also received special access to loan facilities under Bangladesh Bank’s refinancing scheme (subject to applicable eligibility and terms).

For IDLC, such initiatives contribute to the broader objectives of Purnota, a specialized SME product for women which combines financial solutions with business facilitation, training, networking and market-linkage opportunities.

The successful collaboration between IDLC and Adda Chole also underlines the growing importance of platforms that connect small and emerging businesses directly with consumers. For many entrepreneurs, such interactions provide an opportunity to understand customer preferences, trial newer products, and build relationships that support longer-term business growth.