Seven entrepreneurs receive IDLC-Prothom Alo SME Award 2022
Zahid Hasan learned the basics of how to make a rack and went to Malaysia for a job. When he returned home, he could not understand how he can utilise his skill. But, Master Racks, owned by Al Mamun and Nasimul Haque, have created job opportunity for workers with foreign job experience like Zahid Hasan.
Though Al Mamun and Nasimul Haque imported racks from China and Malaysia, they took 55,000 sq feet of area in Kanchpur and opened a factory. The duo then started searching for workers with foreign job experience.
Two entrepreneurs of Master Racks and Furniture, Al Mamun and Nasimul Haque received the IDLC-Prothom Alo SME Award 2022 in production category.
Besides, Organic Chicken founder Mohammad Imrul Hasan in agriculture, Easy Life For Bangladesh founder Mossammat Beauty Begum in health, 10 Minute School founder Ayman Sadiq in education, Nokrek IT Institute founder Subir Nokrek and Shabab Leather founder Maksuda Khatun also received the award. In total, seven people from six organisations won this award.
Commerce minister Tipu Munshi handed over the award to these entrepreneurs at an event at Intercontinental Dhaka Hotel on Monday afternoon.
IDLC chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director M Jamal Uddin, Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, SME Foundation chairperson Md Masudur Rahman were present while Prothom Alo digital transformation and youth programme chief coordinator Munir Hasan moderated the event.
Application opened for the nomination of the IDLC-Prothom Alo SME Award 2022 on 7 September. As many as 2,229 nominations were submitted through online and direct application in a month, with women category seeing the highest 908 applications.
A five-member jury panel named seven successful entrepreneurs in six different categories.
UNDP Bangladesh country economist Nazneen Ahmed, Bi-Beat Limited founder and IDLC-Prothom Alo SME Award 2021 recipient Khondkar Siddique-e-Rabbani, Bangladesh Bank director (SME and special programmes department) Md Jaker Hossain, National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB) president Mirza Nurul Gani, SME Foundation general manager Farzana Khan and FM Plastic Industries managing director and National SME Entrepreneur Award 2018 recipient Muhammad Gazi Tauhidur Rahman were in the jury board.
The event started with singing national anthem. Troupes from Alifia Squad performed dance on the song ‘Egiye Jaw’. dRockstar Shuvo performed song ‘Ami Banglai Gaan Gai’. Lastly, Ronti Da and Anupama Mukti sang ‘Sundor Suborno Tarunno Labonno’, and Ronti Das, Anupma Mukti, Sabbir Zaman, and Rajib performed the song ‘Ekti Bangladesh Tumi Jagroto Jonotar’.
IDLC Finance and Prothom Alo launched the IDLC-Prothom Alo SME Award in 2021 to recognise the outstanding contribution of small and medium entrepreneurs. The second edition of the award was held on Monday.