August 2025
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August 31, 2025

World Bank lauds SMART project’s innovative approach to green growth

Ann Jeannette Glauber, Practice Manager for Environment and Natural Resources at the World Bank’s East Asia and the Pacific Region, lauded the SMART project for its ‘innovative’ initiatives in promoting Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices in microenterprises (MEs). Her comments came during a community consultation meeting on 26 August 2025, in Munshiganj, following a visit to several microenterprises in the district’s Louhajong upazila.

Resource Integration Centre (RIC) organized the meeting under ‘Promoting Resilient Green Growth in Dairy Sub-sector’ sub-project of the SMART project. It brought together delegates from the World Bank, PKSF, RIC, and the Upazila Livestock Officer to engage directly with 11 local micro-entrepreneurs. During the discussion, the entrepreneurs expressed satisfaction with the financial and technical support they are receiving. To them, RECP is a new concept which helps conserve the environment as well as ensure optimum use of thier resources. They also expressed their desire for continued assistance to expand their businesses and diversify their products.

The World Bank delegates, including SMART project Task Team Leader Keisuke Iyadomi and Senior Environmental Specialist Kirtan Chandra Sahoo, Senior Private Sector Specialist Hosna Ferdous Sumi, Environmental Specialist Bushra Nishat, visited cattle-rearing microenterprises to observe the RECP practices and its benefits firsthand. Gokul Chandra Biswas, Project Coordinator of the SMART project, AKM Zahirul Haqeu, Deputy Project Coordinator of the SMART project, Dr Shemol Chandra Podder, Upazila Livestock Officer of Lowhajang, and Alauddin Khan, General Manger of RIC, and other officials of PKSF and RIC were present during the meeting.

The day before the field visit, a courtesy meeting was held at PKSF with Ms Glauber, presided over by PKSF Deputy Managing Director Md Mashiar Rahman. He highlighted PKSF’s commitment to integrating RECP practices into its core programs and acknowledged the long-standing partnership with the World Bank. Ms Glauber, in turn, stressed the potential impact the SMART project can create through appropriate financing.

RIC, as a Partner Organizaiton of PKSF, is providing financial and technical support to the MEs in ‘Cattle and Buffalo’ sub-sector with a target of reaching 1,200 in Munshiganj district under one of the sub-projects of the SMART project. PKSF is implementing the SMART project across the country to support around 80,000 microenterprises in Agriculture, Manufacturing and Processing, and Service sectors within 2028. The main objective of the project is to increase resource-efficient and resilient green growth of microenterprises.

By Alal Ahmed, Program Manager (Communication and Knowledge Management)
News & Events
August 6, 2025

New TTL visits SMART project in Rangpur

Keisuke Iyadomi, the new Task Team Leader (TTL) from the World Bank of the SMART Project, visited Rangpur on 17 July 2025, to observe field activities, with a particular focus on the project’s environmental impact. He took on the role of TTL earlier this month.

During his visit, Keisuke Iyadomi and his team explored three eco-block production centers in Rangpur Sadar upazila. These factories, supported by the SMART project, are promoting eco-friendly construction materials through Resource-Efficient Cleaner Production (RECP) practices.

Bushra Nishat, Environmental Specialist, The World Bank; Gokul Chandra Biswas, Project Coordinator of the SMART project; A.K.M. Zahirul Haque, Deputy Project Coordinator of the SMART project, among others, were also present during the visit. The visitors exchanged views with the micro-entrepreneurs of the ‘Eco-friendly Construction Materials’ sub-sector and the sub-project team in Rangpur.

“As the new TTL for the project, this is my first visit to see the activities in the field under the SMART project,” stated Keisuke Iyadomi. He emphasized on the environmental benefits, adding, “The production and use of environment-friendly blocks will protect the top soil of the land, reduce carbon emissions, increase the yield of the crop, and have positive effects on climate change.”

The ‘Promoting Eco-Friendly Construction Materials through Resource Efficient Cleaner Production’ sub-project, implemented by the Eco-Social Development Organization (ESDO) under the SMART project, aims to reduce environmental degradation caused by traditional construction methods by introducing sustainable alternatives.

Micro-entrepreneurs in Rangpur are now focused on product diversification within the construction materials sector. They expressed aspirations to expand into high-quality eco-block production while following the environmental and waste management protocols. This vision, they noted, hinges on receiving financial and technical support.

This discussion took place during a workshop organized by ESDO at their office in Rangpur. The event provided a vital platform for local micro-entrepreneurs to discuss the adoption of new technologies, resource-efficient and cleaner production methods, as well as associated challenges and possibilities.

The workshop was presided over by Gokul Chandra Biswas, where Keisuke Iyadomi spoke as the Chief Guest. Attendees included eight micro-entrepreneurs, several contractors, government officials from the Department of Environment (DoE) and Public Works Department (PWD), teachers from Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, and other relevant stakeholders.

By Alal Ahmed, Program Manager (Communication and Knowledge Management)
News & Events
August 4, 2025

SMART project organizes 1st Quarterly Progress Review meeting

The Sustainable Microenterprise and Resilient Transformation (SMART) project concluded a five-day Quarterly Progress Review meeting on 31 July 2025. The meeting, which commenced on 27 July, brought together SMART project officials and 150 representatives from 41 Partner Organizations currently implementing 50 sub-projects across the country.

PKSF’s Deputy Managing Director Md Mashiar Rahman presided over the inaugural session, emphasizing the unique approach of the SMART project. “In addition to the overall development review, the progress of each individual microenterprise will also be evaluated in this project,” stated Md Mashiar Rahman. He highlighted the critical importance of all micro-entrepreneurs embracing Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices and urged partner organizations to swiftly achieve their member targets.

Project Coordinator Gokul Chandra Biswas delivered the opening speech, highlighting the long-term vision. “A microenterprise today holds the potential to become a large enterprise in the future,” he remarked. “Therefore, generating ‘green growth’ within these initiatives will yield significant benefits for us down the line.”

Throughout the review meeting, sub-project implementing POs presented on the updates on their respective sub-projects, along with insights into the challenges came across during implementations.

The SMART is a five-year project aimed at fostering green growth in microenterprises by ensuring climate-resilient RECP practices. The project is set to support approximately 80,000 micro-entrepreneurs by 2028.

By Alal Ahmed, Program Manager (Communication and Knowledge Management)