Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said SME advisory centres will be set up at the district and upazila levels, which will act as one-stop service centres for the country's small and medium entrepreneurs.

"SME advisory centres will be established at the district and upazila levels. These will act as the one-stop service centres," she said in a written speech while inaugurating the 6th National SME Fair at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

"Entrepreneurs will get necessary help from the centres to start a new business, expand existing ones as well as get management and technical training and consultancy services," said the prime minister.

She also underlined the importance of setting up display and sales centres in every divisional city for displaying and selling the products of successful entrepreneurs.

Sheikh Hasina said there are around 10 lakh SMEs in the country which can employ at least 10 lakh unemployed people every year.

Describing her government's policy, she said it will not do business by itself, but work as a facilitator. "For this approach, the private sector has flourished in the country rapidly."

The prime minister said around 267 selected SMEs from across the country are taking part in the fair with 67 percent of them being owned by women entrepreneurs.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu chaired the inaugural ceremony of the fair.

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Foundation and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) jointly arranged the fair.

Industries Secretary Muhammad Abdullah and FBCCI President Md Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin), among others, addressed the function.

At the inaugural ceremony, five entrepreneurs received the National SME Entrepreneur Awards 2018 from the prime minister for their outstanding contributions to the SME sector in 2017.

They are Shahida Parvin (Bismillah Trade Solution), Md Shahibuddin, Maksuda Hasnat (Shotodal Hastoshilpa), Gazi Towhidul Rahman and AKM Fahim Mashroor (bdjobs.com).