TRISEG initiative to support 200 Bangladeshi SMEs, with 67pc of global beneficiaries set to be women entrepreneurs
DHAKA, November 12, 2026: A five-year Canada-funded project has been launched in Bangladesh to strengthen the export capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly jute and jute goods producers, and help them access the Canadian market.
The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), in collaboration with Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) Canada, formally inaugurated the 'Trade for Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth (TRISEG)' project at the DCCI Auditorium in Dhaka on Thursday.
Mohammad Hasan Arif, vice-chairman and chief executive of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), attended the event as chief guest, while Khondaker Md. Nazmul Huda Shamim, additional secretary at the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, was present as special guest.
Speaking at the inauguration, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said export diversification had become an imperative as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from the least developed country (LDC) category.
He stressed the need to integrate small businesses, particularly women-led enterprises and businesses from underrepresented groups, into global value chains to build a resilient and sustainable economy.
He expressed hope that the TRISEG project would strengthen SME export capabilities through targeted capacity development, specialised business advisory services and direct market linkages, enabling entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in Canada and other international markets.
As chief guest, EPB Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Mohammad Hasan Arif said Bangladesh's export earnings reached $48 billion in 2025 despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
The country recorded 6 percent export growth in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27, he said, adding that Canada remained among Bangladesh's top 10 export destinations, with bilateral exports reaching $1.5 billion.
Highlighting the performance of the jute and jute goods sector, Arif said exports from the sector grew 25 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
However, he cautioned that Bangladesh's export sector would face significant challenges following its scheduled LDC graduation in 2029.
Product diversification would therefore be crucial to maintaining export competitiveness and sustaining growth, he added.
Special guest Khondaker Md. Nazmul Huda Shamim said Bangladesh's jute sector had been performing reasonably well but continued to face challenges due to insufficient product diversification.
He stressed the need to develop a wider range of jute products in line with international market demand while ensuring compliance with global standards and maintaining product quality.
He hoped the TRISEG initiative would help SMEs diversify their products and improve quality and compliance, with the government extending necessary support to strengthen the sector's export potential.
Presenting an overview of the initiative, Md. Ashraf Hossain, project manager at TFO Canada, said the five-year project, funded by the Government of Canada, was being implemented in 16 least developed and developing countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The initiative aims to provide comprehensive support to around 3,200 SMEs, with 67 percent of the beneficiaries expected to be women entrepreneurs.
Around 200 Bangladeshi SMEs will benefit from the programme, which will focus on skills development, export readiness, digitalisation, access to finance and climate resilience.
The project will cover several sectors, including diversified jute products, processed and fresh food, handicrafts, aromatherapy, fashion accessories and tourism.
Hossain said SMEs involved in the jute sector would receive targeted capacity-building training to improve their export readiness and strengthen their ability to enter the Canadian market.
Omar Farhan Khan, principal business consultant and portfolio manager at LightCastle Partners, said Bangladesh was among the world's largest jute-producing countries but had yet to fully capitalise on the global jute market, estimated at $3 billion, due to inadequate value addition.
He said product diversification, innovation, value addition and improved access to international markets could unlock significant opportunities for Bangladeshi jute entrepreneurs.
During a discussion session, Md. Jahid Hossain, managing director of JDPC PLC; Dina Mujic, first secretary-development at the Canadian High Commission in Bangladesh; Md. Mahbubur Rahman, additional director of Bangladesh Bank's SME and Special Programmes Department; Protima Chakraborty, managing director of Jute Land Bangladesh; and Md. Saiful Islam, director of the Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association (BJSA), shared their views.
Mahbubur Rahman acknowledged that banks generally showed greater interest in corporate financing than SME lending.
However, he said Bangladesh Bank had instructed scheduled banks to maintain a financing distribution ratio of 30 percent for retail, 35 percent for SMEs and 35 percent for corporate sectors.
Saiful Islam said SMEs in the jute and jute goods sector needed capacity-building support to diversify products and expand exports. He also identified inadequate international marketing efforts as a major obstacle to the growth of Bangladesh's jute exports.
Protima Chakraborty said limited access to finance remained a major barrier for women entrepreneurs seeking to enter international markets.
She noted that exporting required substantial working capital and investment in compliance, international standards and packaging, urging Bangladesh Bank to play a stronger role in facilitating financing for women-led enterprises.
DCCI Senior Vice-President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice-President Md. Salem Sulaiman and members of the chamber's board of directors were also present at the event.
