Development of marginal people a must for building smart Bangladesh: Stakeholders

The development of marginal people by ensuring their financial capacity is important to building a Smart Bangladesh by the stipulated time, said Dr Md Reajul Huq, director general of the Department of Livestock Services, at a programme in the capital yesterday (4 June).

The speakers came up with the statement while speaking at "Celebrating and Launching Local Service Providers" Network: Supporting SMART Bangladesh programme at Hotel Sonargaon.

USAID's Strengthening Household Ability to Respond to Development Opportunities (Shouhardo) III Plus Activity implemented by CARE Bangladesh organized the event to celebrate the graduation of Local Service Providers (LSP) who received entrepreneurship training and share their experiences. 

The event mainly aimed to strengthen private-sector engagement for the sustainability of the LSP Network.

Speaking as the chief guest at the programme, Reajul Huq, Director General at the Department of Livestock Services, said the government is relentlessly working to build a smart Bangladesh.

He said people enlightened by the Shouhardo programme should be more educated about nutrition so that others can follow them. 

Marc Nosbach, chief of party of the Shouhardo III Plus Activity, said, "We are not only supporting SMART Bangladesh but also paving the way for sustainable development and resilience in the communities. Let us continue working together to build a brighter, more inclusive future for all."

Abdul Mannan Mazumder, senior team leader-Program of Shouhardo III Plus, presented the keynote speech at the event and described the features of Local Service Providers Business Network Model and explained its necessity in building Smart Bangladesh.

Ramesh Singh, regional director-Asia (RMU) of CARE said "Today we launched a network with our seven types of LSPs who will lead CARE's vision to locally-led development in the future."

Mustapha El Hamzaoui, Director- Office of Humanitarian Assistance at the USAID Bangladesh this was important programme on leveraging the private sector and commercial banks to fight poverty and celebrate local service improvements through innovative partnerships and training.

Presiding over the event, Ram Das, Country Director of CARE Bangladesh, said that the Shouhardo III Plus initiative has greatly increased income and food access as many participants have improved their financial stability by diversifying their income sources, boosting sustainable agriculture, and increasing market access, especially for women and girls.

The Shouhardo program has actively enhanced engagement with the private sector and nurtured the development of Local Service Providers (LSPs). This initiative has successfully engaged 2,300 LSPs, servicing 69% of approximately 160,000 households, significantly raising service demand and enhancing household incomes through integrated program interventions. 

The activity organized entrepreneur training for 450 LSPs to supplement these efforts and build a strong entrepreneurial skillset. This initiative is integral to facilitating market system approaches for its implementation.

In this event, Shouhardo launched the "LSP Network," a platform that brings the LSPs unde rone umbrella. A logo was unveiled on the date which represents their visual identity.