DHAKA, Bangladesh, 18 November 2025 – In an inspiring address at the inauguration of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025, Dr. K. M. Hasan Ripon, Executive Director of GEN Bangladesh, emphasized that the core purpose of the global movement is to foster a mindset of innovation and different thinking among the youth.
"Daffodil is a place where we encourage our students and teachers to think differently, to think in an innovative way," Dr. Ripon began. "The purpose of this event is simple: we want to think differently. It is for this reason that the Global Entrepreneurship Network celebrates World Entrepreneurs' Day every November, with the goal of cultivating an 'entrepreneurship mindset.'"
He explained that this mindset is not just about starting new ventures but also about reimagining existing processes. "Innovation is about bringing change to the processes we worked on last year. It means we shouldn't wait for something new for years; instead, we should do what we did last year, but in a slightly different way," he remarked.
A Global Movement with Local Impact:
Dr. Ripon highlighted the massive global scale of GEW, noting, "With this goal in mind, nearly one crore (ten million) people across the world are holding 40,000 events with the help of 20,000 partners. This global celebration will run from November 17th to 23rd, with 200 countries participating simultaneously."
He proudly stated that Bangladesh has been an active member of this global network since 2008, under the leadership of Dr. Mohammad Sabur Khan, Chairman of GEN Bangladesh. This long-standing commitment has borne significant fruit.
"Last year, we created an immense impact by involving schools, colleges, universities, chambers, and youth organizations," Dr. Ripon shared. "With the help of nearly 350 organizations and partners, we worked in a way that, in June of this year, our respected Chairman accepted the 'Best Country Award' on behalf of Bangladesh. This award belongs to all of you."
Thinking Globally, Acting Locally:
Dr. Ripon challenged the notion of limiting entrepreneurial ambitions to local boundaries. "Why must we go global? We often think that an initiative started in Noakhali is only for Noakhali. But we need to change this thinking," he urged. "An initiative from Noakhali might be needed in Botswana, Africa, or in the Middle East. Our main objective is to take a local initiative and make it global."
He also highlighted the crucial partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, which began last year. "Our objective is one: the entrepreneurial mindset must start at the earliest possible age. If we can plant this dream in primary schools—that 'you can create something new'—it will build a foundation from an early stage."
He concluded with a powerful message of national pride and collective responsibility. "When Bangladesh receives such recognition, our hearts fill with pride because we all love the red and green flag," he said. "Our message to the world is that every single person in this country is innovative. When one person becomes established, our goal should be to work towards helping them become even more established, not to pull them down."