Bhairab municipality hosted a two-day regional campaign on Local Economic Development on Tuesday at the upazila parishad field in Bhairab, focusing on municipal initiatives and the footwear sector, along with an expo showcasing women entrepreneurs and youth engagement activities.
On the occasion, a three-day training workshop on LED was also inaugurated for 70 municipal officials and private sector representatives from eight municipalities in the district, said a press release.
The campaign and training program were supported by PRABRIDDHI, a Local Economic Development project funded by the Governments of Bangladesh and Switzerland, and implemented by the Local Government Division and Swisscontact Bangladesh.
The chief guest of the event was Jiban Krishna Saha Roy, director general of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority. Distinguished guests included Mohammad Nahid Hasan Khan, deputy director of the Local Government Division and additional deputy commissioner, Kishoreganj, Daniel Valenghi, Regional advisor at the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh, and Parvez Mohammad Asheque, team leader of the Swisscontact PRABRIDDHI project.
More than 300 participants, including local government officials, business representatives, journalists, women entrepreneurs, and student delegates, attended the event.
The welcome speech was delivered by Md Faruk, executive officer of Bhairab Municipality.
Delivering his keynote speech, Jibon Krishna emphasized that improving the business environment and balancing industrial growth with environmental protection are vital for sustainable local economic development.
Nahid Hasan highlighted that the program aims to strengthen the local economy, promote decentralization, advance the SDGs, and support entrepreneurs through innovative financial models.
In her closing remarks, Upazilla Nirbahi Officer of Bhairab, Shabnam Sharmin, stressed the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and sustainable innovation in Bhairab鈥檚 footwear industry to drive inclusive and eco-friendly development.
