The New Nation - Internet Edition

Farizaa Sabreen

5th Women Entrepreneur Trade Expo 2008 (WETEX) goes on display this weekend at the National Shooting Federation, Gulshan-1 with visitors having the opportunity to see and buy some exquisite Asian products.

Honerable Adviser Mrs. Rasheda K. Chowdhury, while inaugurating the Women Entrepreneur Expo, hailed the roles of women in business and industries saying "Without improving the quality of our products it will not be possible to compete in global market."

She insisted on private entrepreneurs to come forward to develop and promote the promising handicraft sector. She also stressed the need for improving the standard of Bangladeshi handicraft products to get an aggressive access in the global market.

From last four years, this Expo becomes the biggest and most diverse fair in Bangladesh.

It's a time for both introducing the Asian women entrepreneurs and forming a bond of friendship with both the artisans and the works of those participating countries.

Dozens of women entrepreneurs is exhibiting a wide range of items, including fabrics, stitched/ unstitched, embroidered/ unembroidered ladies/ gents and children's clothes, shoes/ chappals/ khusas, bangles, mehandi, bags, runners, scarves, cushions, herbal cosmetics, home décor and bed linen products, carpets (small), aluminum utensils, handicrafts, fashion jewellery, sarees etc.

Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, Jobs Group Bangladesh, Women Entrepreneurs' Association Bangladesh as well as SME Foundation organizes this event from September 7th to 12th, 2008 from 10am to 8pm.

Various products prepared by Women entrepreneurs are on display during the exhibition. The expo is sponsored by Bank Al Falah Ltd.

The aim of the trade expo is to provide a wide variety of products manufactured by women entrepreneurs from various countries in the Asian region under one roof for the convenience of Eid shoppers and to promote networking amongst the participating women entrepreneurs from other Asian countries.

The Expo is an innovative and unique regional opportunity, because it will make visible the economic, social and environmental inputs that women entrepreneurs bring to their countries.

The organizers of the expo say there are iftar stalls throughout the event.

Women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and China are participating in the expo through 73 stalls.

The price of ticket for visiting the Expo is Tk. 20 per person.