BRAC Bank hosts all-women entrepreneur product fair

A fair showcasing products of only women entrepreneurs has started at Aloki Convention Centre in Gulshan.BRAC Bank is hosting a two-day exposition to promote locally made products by women entrepreneurs and create a market for locally made products.

Eighty-five female business owners from across the country are showcasing Bangladeshi products at the exposition, 'TARA Uddokta Mela 2025. At this fair, most women entrepreneurs are involved in manufacturing and contribute significantly to promoting this country's heritage. After the grand success of last year's TARA Uddokta Fair, the bank is hosting this fair for the third time, where women entrepreneurs exhibit their diverse range of products by setting up stalls without any cost.

Nazma Mobarek, Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, formally inaugurated the fair as the chief guest at the Aloki Convention Centre on Gulshan-Tejgaon Link Road in Dhaka on March 16, 2025, in the presence of Meheriar M Hasan, Chairperson, and Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director and CEO, BRAC Bank.  

Nawshad Mustafa, Director of Bangladesh Bank's SME and Special Programmes Department; Farzanah Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance Company Limited; and Farzana Khan, Deputy Managing Director of SME Foundation, were the Special Guests. Syed Abdul Momen, Deputy Managing Director and Head of SME Banking at BRAC Bank was also present.  

The exhibition will be open to the public from 12:00PM to 11:00PM on March 16, the opening day, and from 10:00AM to 11:00PM on March 17, 2025.

The women entrepreneurs are displaying a diverse range of Bangladeshi-made products, including boutiques, hand-stitched clothing, handmade crafts, clay and jute items, processed leather goods, Jamdani and Moslin attire, foods, organic skincare items, and bamboo and rattan items. The fair also caters to special features such as Iftar and Dinner food court, Hawai Mithai for visitors, a bioscope for young generations, free mental well-being sessions and checkups, travel consultancy and tour management, etc.

BRAC Bank provides technological support to enable digital payments, such as QR Code-based payments, to bring women entrepreneurs into a digital ecosystem that facilitates cashless transactions. At the fair, customers will get a discount of up to 20% on any product purchased through QR payment.

The exhibition provides a platform for women entrepreneurs to promote their traditional products and showcase their creativity through product innovation while keeping the country's heritage intact. The event will also enable the exhibitors to increase sales and reach new customers amid the ongoing Eid shopping spree.

Commenting on the exhibition, the bank's Managing Director and CEO Selim R F Hussain stated, "As a partner of progress, the bank helps women entrepreneurs realize their full potential. With this TARA Uddokta Mela, entrepreneurs can preserve traditional products immersed in the country's culture and heritage. We plan to do many more such fairs annually for products of women entrepreneurs nationwide. Holding this fair shows our strong commitment to women entrepreneurs in the country."