Speaking at a roundtable titled "Increasing Productivity in Bangladesh: Challenges and Future Action" held on National Productivity Day 2026 on Thursday (October 1, 2026)—organized jointly by the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) and Daily Jugantor with Industries Minister Khondokar Abdul Muktadir as Chief Guest—Dr. Ahmed emphasized that providing financial credit alone is insufficient for SME growth. She urged the government to couple refinancing loans with technical support for technological adoption, skill development, and management efficiency. Highlighting labor dynamics, Dr. Ahmed cautioned against automation that leads to job losses, urging technology use aimed at upgrading worker capabilities instead. She called for overcoming gender-specific barriers by conducting technical training for female factory workers during normal duty hours, updating SME Foundation training programs to international standards, and engaging private training institutions to expand workplace productivity programs nationwide.