WE Colorful Fest kicks off in Dhaka

WE Colorful Fest, a two-day festival of women entrepreneurs, launched at Purbachal Club in the capital on Friday.

Around 1,000 entrepreneurs are expected to participate in the event arranged by Women and e-Commerce (WE), a platform for women entrepreneurs.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen inaugurated the festival.

WE's Facebook-based group currently has over 11 lakh members who have a business related to domestic products. Among them, around 1,300 entrepreneurs are participating in the festival and 95% of them were women. They have decorated their stalls with their products in different colours.

Visiting the stalls, our correspondents saw muslin saris, Jamdani clothes, shitalpati, wooden furniture, attire for boys and girls, and various materials for decorating houses available for purchase. Most of the products are handmade. WE members can buy these products from 100 stalls.

The festival is also helping entrepreneurs from different parts of the country get to know each other and buy and sell among themselves.

Festival participant Jannatul Ferdous Mohua, a physically disabled entrepreneur from Bogura, said, "I joined this platform a year ago. My Facebook page is called Rainbow. I make boutique products. Now I sell products worth more than Tk3 lakh per month."

Nasima Akter Nisha, president of WE, told the Business Standard, "We organised this festival mainly for our members. Our Facebook group currently has more than 11 lakh members. Members of different districts join it through online communication. They are getting to know each other as well through it."

"I am creating an export zone for the entrepreneurs who have created exportable products. We will assist in exporting the products that will be deposited in this zone. Foreign buyers have also come to us, they have shown great interest in these products. This is the fourth time we have held a festival." she said.

Among others, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswamy were also present at the event.

In the afternoon, a seminar was organised titled "Sahoshi Golpe WE," where State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid was the chief guest.

The fair will continue till 6pm on Saturday.