News & Events
Christian Peter, Practice Manager of Environment, Natural Resources, and Blue Economy at the World Bank, paid a courtesy visit to the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) on Wednesday, 14 May 2025. A courtesy meeting was held between him and the Managing Director of PKSF Md Fazlul Kader. The Project Management Unit (PMU) of the Sustainable Microenterprise and Resilient Transformation (SMART) project informed the progress of the project during the meeting.
During the discussion, PKSF Managing Director Md Fazlul Kader highlighted the multifaceted benefits of the SMART project. He stated that the SMART is a project where we are prioritizing resource efficiency, green growth, and climate resilience of the microenterprises (MEs). By adopting resource-efficient technologies, MEs can achieve significant cost savings. Furthermore, our introduction of the zero-waste approach empowers them to minimize waste generation and maximize its utility by transforming it into resources and adding value. Our field observations indicate that MEs can command better prices by enhancing the value of their offerings. Importantly, MEs create employment opportunities not only for those directly involved but also for many others in backward and forward linkages. This is why investment in microenterprises is bringing a great result for the country.
Acknowledging the comprehensive impact of the SMART project, Mr Peter concurred with Mr Kader’s assessment. He affirmed the World Bank’s commitment, stating, “We should put necessary emphasis on the value chain where the best results can be achieved.” Both of them recognized the enduring partnership between the World Bank and PKSF and reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the future.
The meeting also served as an opportunity for the current World Bank Task Team Leader (TTL) for the SMART project Eun Joo Allison to introduce Keisuke Iyadomi, who will assume the role of the new TTL on behalf of the World Bank starting in July 2025. PKSF MD thanked Ms Allison for her continued support during the tenure and expressed his expectation for the same in the future.
Deputy Managing Director of PKSF Md Mashiar Rahman, and Project Coordinator of the SMART project Gokul Chandra Biswas, among others, were also present in the meeting where Md Rawshan Habib, Deputy Project Coordinator of the SMART project, made a presentation on the SMART project and its activities.
