Despite running for almost three months, entrepreneurs who took part in the online Regional SME Product Fair have expressed dissatisfaction at the lacklustre response the event had received this time.
Media reports maintained this adding owing to the COVID-19 situation in Bangladesh, the SME Foundation had organised the Regional SME Product Fair online this year for the first time, which was initially held for a month from 3 May, but due to lack of response, was extended till 31 July, which is by about three months.
However, despite being extended, the owners of small and medium scale enterprises, who participated in the online event hoping to do some decent business so as to make up for the losses incurred amidst the pandemic, received very poor response at the fair as sales were very low, they, reportedly, claimed, to add to which, many entrepreneurs from the remote rural areas could not participate in the fair as well due to a lack of proper internet access.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, a leather products manufacturer, Mostafizur Rahman, reportedly, added that he had been waiting the entire year for the fair as it is when he can sell products worth around Taka 4-6 lakh, while adding, “I participated in this year’s online SME fair but could not even raise Taka 50,000 from sales.”
