BRAC Bank hosts all-women entrepreneur product fair ‘TARA Uddokta Mela 2025’

A fair showcasing products of only women entrepreneurs has started at Aloki Convention Center in Gulshan.

BRAC Bank is hosting a two-day exposition to promote locally made products by women entrepreneurs and create a market for locally made products, according to a press release. 

Eighty-five female business owners from across the country are showcasing Bangladeshi products at the exposition, 'TARA Uddokta Mela 2025'. In this fair, most of the women entrepreneurs are involved in manufacturing sector who play great contribution in promoting this country’s heritage. After the grand success of previous year’s TARA Uddokta Fair, the bank is hosting this fair for the third time where women entrepreneurs exhibit their diverse range of products by setting up stalls without any cost.

Nazma Mobarek, Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, formally inaugurated the fair as the chief guest at the Aloki Convention Center on Gulshan-Tejgaon Link Road in Dhaka on March 16, 2025, in presence of Meheriar M Hasan, Chairperson, and Selim R. F. Hussain, Managing Director and CEO, BRAC Bank.

Nawshad Mustafa, Director, SME and Special Programmes Department, Bangladesh Bank; Farzanah Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO, Green Delta Insurance Company Limited; and Farzana Khan, Deputy Managing Director, SME Foundation, were present as the Special Guest. Syed Abdul Momen, Deputy Managing Director and Head of SME Banking at BRAC Bank, were also present.

The exhibition is open to the public from 12:00PM to 11:00PM on the opening day on March 16 and from 10:00AM to 11:00PM on March 17, 2025.

The women entrepreneurs are displaying a diverse range of Bangladeshi-made products, including boutiques, hand-stitched clothing, handmade crafts, clay and jute items, processed leather goods, Jamdani and Moslin attire, foods, organic skincare items, and bamboo and rattan items. Additionally, the fair is catering other special features such as Iftar and Dinner food court, HawaiMithai for visitors, a bioscope for young generations, free mental wellbeing sessions and free checkup, travel consultancy and tour management.

BRAC Bank is providing technological support to enable digital payments, such as QR Code-based payments, to bring the women entrepreneurs into a digital ecosystem that facilitates cashless transaction. In the fair, the customers will get a discount of up to a 20 per cent on any product purchase through QR payment.

Commenting on the exhibition, the bank's Managing Director & CEO Selim R. F. Hussain stated, "As a partner of progress, the bank helps women entrepreneurs realize their full potential. With this TARA Uddokta Mela, entrepreneurs can preserve traditional products immersed in the country's culture and heritage. We plan to do many more such fairs annually for products of women entrepreneurs nationwide. Holding this fair shows our strong commitment to women entrepreneurs in the country."