D-8 SUMMIT: Bangladesh stresses SME development

Staff Reporter :

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus reached Cairo to participate in the D-8 Summit, scheduled to commence today.

The Chief Adviser arrived at Cairo International Airport at 11 am local time, where he was received by Egypt’s Minister of the Public Business Sector, Mohamed Shimi.

Following the reception, Prof Yunus held a brief discussion with the Egyptian minister, as confirmed by the Chief Adviser’s press wing.

Prof Yunus departed Dhaka last night for his two-day state visit to Egypt. He and his delegation boarded an Emirates Airlines flight, which left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 1:20 am, according to CA Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.

The 11th D-8 Summit is being held under the theme “Investing in Youth and Supporting SMEs: Shaping Tomorrow’s Economy.” The gathering aims to foster collaboration among member states to promote sustainable economic growth.

Founded in 1997, the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, commonly known as Developing-8, focuses on enhancing development cooperation among its members. The group comprises eight major Muslim-majority nations: Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey.

Collectively, these countries account for approximately 14 percent of the global population. The summit is expected to highlight strategies to empower youth and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as pivotal drivers of future economic prosperity.