Technology Challenges Hinder SMEs

Economic Tag: SME

Despite government initiatives in digital services, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh face challenges, including bribery, port delays, and complicated processes, hindering the purported benefits of technology adoption. Entrepreneurs, speaking at a Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry seminar, expressed dissatisfaction with the technology’s efficacy in simplifying SME operations. Issues such as a one percent supervision charge on SME loans and difficulties in opening letters of credit due to a dollar crisis were highlighted. Stakeholders emphasized the need for supportive measures, including subsidies, easy finance access, low-cost refinancing, fiscal incentives, and synchronized policies to promote technologically enabled smart SMEs.

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