The Bengal Business Council (BBC), a state-level trade body, opened its north Bengal chapter in Siliguri on Thursday, aiming to empower Bengali entrepreneurs in the region.

According to council members, the new chapter is an extension of BBC’s flagship initiative, “Banglar Nobojagoron – Bengal Rising 4.0”, which seeks to foster unity, collaboration, and collective growth among Bengali business communities.

The initiative also aims to showcase that Bengalis, beyond their rich cultural and educational legacy, have a strong record of business success.

Subrata Dutta, the vice-president of BBC, said the council currently has over 500 members engaged in businesses totalling more than ₹2,000 crore.

“Our primary objective is to encourage Bengalis to take up business as a career while promoting internal trade and collaboration among council members. We recently launched our Durgapur chapter, which received an overwhelming response. The Siliguri chapter will play a pivotal role in motivating Bengalis to invest and grow businesses in north Bengal,” Dutta said at the inaugural event held here today.

The BBC selected Siliguri for its strategic location as an economic hub and commercial gateway connecting all districts of north Bengal.

Avishek Auddy, the chairman of the BBC, outlined the council’s six agendas: creating new entrepreneurs, supporting existing members, fostering an internal ecosystem for member growth, attracting new members, advocating for members with various agencies, and changing the perception that Bengalis are less successful in business by highlighting historical and contemporary achievements.

“The region holds immense economic potential and our council can act as a catalyst for growth by linking local Bengali-led enterprises with broader business opportunities,” Auddy added.