Women Entrepreneurs of Bangladesh

In recent years, the developing countries of the world includingBangladesh have been focusing attention on the most disadvantagedgroup in the society – the women. Realization has gradually dawnedon all concerned that a society cannot afford to waste half of itshuman resources by discrimination on grounds of sex. Thisincreasing awareness on the part of the government has led to theadoption of national policies to facilitate a development processinvolving women in all spheres particularly in economic activitiesfocussing especially on entrepreneurship development.The overwhelming majority of women in Bangladesh are notonly poor, but also caught between two vastly different worlds ---the world determined by culture and tradition that confines theiractivities inside family homesteads, where they are regarded more asa commodity necessary only for bearing and rearing children and theworld shaped by increasing landlessness and poverty that focus themoutside into various economic activities for survival. Thus the femalemembers, constituting half the country's population, are lagging farbehind their male counterparts in all spheres of life. In Bangladesh,though the majority of the working women still have not been ableto impose a controlling authority in mainstream production, there hasarisen a new class - the women entrepreneurs, who have acceptedthe challenges of life and have emerged as leaders in thesocio-economic development - earning for themselves and for theirfamilies or contributing towards the socio-political upliftment of thewomen. Not only have their greater participation in remunerativework improved their living conditions and provided bargainingpositions in the households and wider community, but they are alsocreating opportunities for the general womenfolk leading to theireconomic progress and paving the way for a dignified survival through sustainable development. Women have now become awareof their socio-economic rights and have ventured to avail theopportunities initiated for them. Rural Bangladesh is now a changedscenario for the women who have gathered courage to break barriersand enter the off-house working force as entrepreneurs and workers -a situation not accepted by the society in the past. The urban areashave greater opportunities for business development but the areaswhere women lack assistance is in the access to credit, provision ofskill training, and market facilities. Entrepreneurship today, hasbecome an important profession among the women of Bangladesh atvarious levels of the society, both in the urban and the rural areas.The reason for the interest varies according to the different classes ofthe society. Where women of the poorer sections of the society,

especially of the rural areas, due to poverty, have been forced intooff-house income through entrepreneurship for economic solvency,the women of the middle class families, who have always livedrestricted lives, have today, ventured into this profession as achallenge and an adventure into a new world of economic activity.On the other hand, many women have taken up entrepreneurship andbecome businesswomen not necessarily to earn and survive and raisethe living standards, but to form their careers and becomeprofessionals in order to establish their rights through thedevelopment of a sector and thereby contribute towards the progressof the society and the nation.Over the past two decades, norms segregating andprotecting women have been breaking down. However, it is alsoapparent that female economic participation has in fact,marginalized women mainly because the activities involved inmany areas does not provide women complete control overproduction, in land ownership or in income earned. In regularcases, the initiatives in this regard have transferred women fromthe core production activities to marginal ones, such ashandicraft, handloom, or home-based industries than the moresophisticated productions involving modern technology, whichare usually controlled by the male entrepreneurs. Women are notbeing able to play a controlling role in the mainstreamproduction where the male power has remained intact. No dentis easily created in patriarchy and the patriarchal value system ofthe society where women have been forced to enter and isinvolved marginally, being pushed increasingly into problematicsituations. Their work load has increased manifold as they haveto do both the domestic work and the income earning ones also.The changing role of women shows that over the last twodecades, there has been a steady upward trend in theparticipation of women in economic activities in developingcountries as Bangladesh. Despite the problem of seriousunder-enumeration of women's involvement in economicactivities in a sex segregated society as ours, the potential ofwomen's economic contribution is now well recognized.Greater participation of women in remunerative work isimproving their living conditions and bargaining positions in thehouseholds and wider community. It is often the case that mostof women's labour in economic activities basically savesexpenditure for the household, but women are not consideredincome earners, as the output of their labour is not alwaysmarketed by themselves. The distinct groups of womenparticipation in economic activities outside the homestead are: (a)Women in rich and moderate male-headed households. (b)Women in middle and low-income male headed households, and

c) Women in households headed by females.The importance of women's entrepreneurship developmentfocuses on women's development in general and theirparticipation in income generating activities in particular, whileit deserves a special consideration in rational developmentplanning on two counts. First, leaving the women, who compriseabout half the total population, outside the purview ofdevelopment, no nation can achieve any significant degree ofsuccess. It would be like working half strength compared tonations where women make full participation. Secondly,women's participation in gainful labour is expected to reducefertility, a common development goal of most developingcountries, particularly so for ours.Women entrepreneurship in the rural industries is a newarena for investigation in the socio-economic environment ofBangladesh. In view of the need to bring the rural womenfolk inthe development stream of the country, both the Government,the NGOs and other related agencies have provided ampleopportunities to promote entrepreneurial skill among women.Income-generating activities, credit facilities, skill training,market opportunities have all combined to pave the way for theemergence of entrepreneurial development among women inrural Bangladesh.It takes a long time to get the return from the investmentbut for the women the main reasons for the continuation ofentrepreneurship was the advantages available and prospects ofincome derived from the activity. The experience gathered bythe women with regard to manufacturing, marketing,management of business and employment generation were ofgreat help and opened up opportunities for expansion of theirenterprises. The training facilities offered both by thegovernment and the NGOs increased their efficiency andcompetency especially in the rural areas. For many, the activityperformed by maintaining purdah and within the socialrestrictions, provided support from the family and the in-laws, asthe products manufactured were marketed by the males and thewomen did not have to tread outside the homestead.Women have achieved good prospects in industry,especially the small and cottage and micro home-based ones.Their present involvement in manufacturing and in the recenttrends of their involvement in construction activities in growingnumbers is likely to continue. Women have emerged asexporters and their control of export-oriented industries, arepromising areas for enhanced female participation andemployment. Incentives could stimulate enterprises to developfemale entrepreneurial skills and income-generating activities.

Women's growing involvement in the construction of civilworks gives evidence to their potential regarding market growthopportunities and should be encouraged. To stimulate femaleentrepreneurship and create further employment opportunities,training programmes for relevant issues, need to be provided towomen currently in business. Where women have access tomarket information and display of products they can increasetheir business acumen, especially with respect to demand for awide-range of products they might choose to produce.With regard to Interventions it is seen that in the presentsocio-economic situation, with the growing leadership amongwomen in entrepreneurship, both the Government and thePrivate Sector interventions such as the NGOs and the othergrassroots association have provided women with variousfacilities to enable them to earn their livelihood and upgradetheir conditions, enabling them to gather courage and enoughstrength to be able to compete with men, especially in thebusiness and employment arena inaccessible to women in thepast. The credit supports are provided by various Banks,Government Organisations, Non-Government Organisations,Micro-Finance Institutions and other Credit Co-operatives.Banks are the formal sources for capital for business, thoughthey have failed to reach the poorer section because of theircollateral requirements.Structure of Women's Entrepreneurial Activities depend onvarious types. The women have been found to participate in thefollowing:(1) Self-Employed: These women have acquired on theirown, especially from parents, relatives or friends, theskills and capacities to operate enterprises. Some haveunder-gone training and apprenticeship or worked asskilled labourers and obtained enough knowledge tostart their own business. Self-employed women arelesser in urban areas in comparison to rural areaswhere greater opportunities lie with the incomegenerating activities of NGOs, which provide credit.(2) Enterprise Ownership: These women, are theOwner/operators of existing micro-enterprises, andhave proven management and technical skill inself-employment. They often wish to expand, upgradeor diversify their business through employment offamily members as apprenticeship especially in therural areas or engage and hire workers for theproduction when the business progresses in the urbanareas. This is the popular structure in the urban areas,where market availability helps the women to develop

their trade. Many women working as skilled labourershave ventured to start their own business.(3) Manufacturing: Women's traditional skill enable themto take up manufacturing in areas where raw materialfor the products is easily available. Women in theseactivities employ workers as skilled, non-skilled,permanent or as seasonal workers. With theexpansion of business and the development of qualityproducts, training in skill, technology, managementand marketing becomes essential.(4) Family Trade: Many women are involved in thefamily trades, hereditarily performed throughgenerations and the skill is traditionally kept withinthe family. Women in such activities have theirenterprises or employment based at homesteads.Manufacturing handicrafts or pottery, involved infood preparation, operating individual units ofembroidery, tailoring printing, dyeing, weaving,spinning, net making, etc., are some of the activities inthis structure. These women are helped by familymembers including males.(5) Agricultural Activities: The rural women participatemore in the agricultural sector, especially in operatingvegetable gardens, horticulture production, nursery oreven rice husking, and preparation of varied riceproducts.(6) Sub-Contracting: This new system of generatingincome in the non-formal sector is providingopportunities for women through a negotiableprocedure obtaining orders for products from either,exporters, producers, whole sellers, and middlemen.Women even get orders from enterprise owners, whoproduce their supplementary goods through thesewomen during peak market demands and thesecontinuous orders provide the women with a stableincome. Though the income is not very high, thereexits less risks regarding payment.(7) Partners in Business/ Share holders/ Directors inFamily Business Enterprises: Many of the womenhave become partners or share holders in largerbusiness firms and industrial units. Some have enteredthe family industrial or business operations.(8) Traders, Contractors, Order Suppliers, BusinessExecutives: These new occupations have beenmastered by the women even though they have tocompete with the men. Though the women have to

face tough competitions in these areas, it isremarkable to observe that they have provedthemselves efficient in their dealings along with menand have succeeded in their endeavours.(9) Medium and large Industry Owners: Women havebecome owners of medium and large industrialunits either through inheritance or through privateinitiative. Many educated women are now theproud owners of shipping companies, tea gardens,trading centres, and advertisement firms.(10) Women as exporters have ventured into exportsdirectly by themselves or through other exporters.Export fairs, international trade fairs, single countryfairs and initiative by importers have helped thewomen to produce quality products for exports.Types of Production Units and Trades include the commonsmall scale production units such as Handicrafts with varioustypes of raw materials, Handloom Weaving & Spinning,Basketary, Mat making, Manufacture of Coir products. FishingNet making, Paddy husking by Dheki, Oil production by Ghani,Jute production and sale, Jute goods production. Pottery, Caneand bamboo products, Seri culture, Silk weaving, HoneyMaking, Screen print & Batik, Embroidery, Dressmaking.Tailoring, Puffed Rice Making, Food production (packed orretail sale of dry food), Food Processing, Wood craft &Furniture, Molasses making, Biri (indigenous cigarette madewith special leaves) production, Milk production units, dairy andmilk products, Dyeing and printing, Book Binding,Confectionery, Urea Molasses Block (cattle feed) etc., Nurseryand Horticulture production.Besides these have grown the Agro - based industries andoccupations in the rural areas such as: Paddy husking by "dheki,oil production by "ghani" (indigenous oil processor), juteprocessing, pisci-culture, fishing, fish drying, fish processingwhich are continued with old techniques. Kitchen gardening,poultry rearing (sale of eggs, poultry, chicks), goat and sheeprearing, cattle fattening are common agro-based occupations.Biri (indigenous cigarette made with special leaves) production,bookbinding, production of urea Molasses Block (cattle feed)etc, nursery and horticulture production are being taken up nowdue to good profits.Service industries and occupations: Restaurants, (production ofsnacks, meals, tea, confectionery) and Tailoring are now familiarprofessions both in the urban and the rural areas. Home-basedshop-keeping is familiar in the rural areas. Non-Farm Activities:Cane product and jute carpet making, pigeon rearing for sale, petty

trade especially with home-based shops, pond lease for fishcultivation and marketing, flower growing for sale to flower shops inthe urban areas, fan and cap making.Small shop keeping, photocopy services, boutique shops,home-based garments making, painting and making of greetingcards, paper-bag making & selling, selling of old tyres, fish andvegetable vending, soap vending, rice cake (pitha) making, road-sidefood selling shops are some of the urban non-farm activitiesobserved Innovative Products and New Areas: With the introductionof new technology, development of innovative ideas or even demandfor new products, a variety of new areas have developed forwomen's entrepreneurship growth. These include, artificial flowermaking, production of straw caps and hats for export, printing ofstationery and cards, vegetable dye products for dyeing and printing,patch-work quilt making, cotton spinning from waste garments,stuffed toys, decorative costume jewellery, manufacture of imitationjewellery. Women have also ventured for artificial pond preparationfor shrimp culture, women's pisci-culture project for both domesticand export marketing.The distinct groups of women and their participation inoff-house activities are, (a) Women in affluent and moderatemale-headed households, (b) Women in middle and low-incomemale headed households, and (c) Women in households headed byfemales.Types: Women Entrepreneurs in the non-formal sector areusually involved in manufacturing (52), agricultural activities(16) and service oriented activities (32). In the rural areas, themajority of the entrepreneurs were members of the NGOs andother grassroots organisations, who had started income throughthese three types of activities from the loans received. Thesewomen were self- employed and worked as (1) Skilled artisansor self-employed producers; (2) Women traders or Vendors; (3)Whole-sale Suppliers; (4) Women as partners in Business; (5)Women as share-holder in Business; (6) Women in FamilyTrade Enterprises; (7) Women as Shop owners; (8) Women asEmployers of production units.Training: Women had received training through NGOactivity participation. However, it was found that they usuallypreferred to use their indigenous skill for employment. Thesuccessful women entrepreneurs held different views when theydemanded skill and business management training to expand orintroduce new business activities.Types of Enterprises: The types of enterprises operated bywomen found were of the following categories: (1) Traditional;(2) Non-tradition; (3) Household or Family Trade; (4) Labourintensive; (5) Export oriented; (6) Industries with modem

technology. Market Areas: The domestic market for non-formalproducts represents the classical free market structure. It ishighly competitive with freedom of entry and exit. Women,especia lly in the rural areas, had problems of access to marketfacilities but some did manage to sell in the local market place,to neighbourhood house-holds, to buyers and traders at thehouse, to order suppliers and the middlemen. They alsopurchased from producers and sold through markets. Theinternational and the export market areas have been penetratedthrough international fair participation. Women in the urbanareas have greater opportunities for marketing.Income: Experience gained through years helps womenearn higher incomes. The reason for the majority of women incottage and micro enterprises, earning inadequate monthlyincome, is likely to be the lack of skill required for running ofenterprises and the low level of marketable skills of women as aresult of their limited access to education and training facilities.Larger units have greater income which varies according to thebusiness involved.Limitations exist in the form of economic problems andsocial hazards. Since women are new in certain aspects ofentrepreneurship, they face constraints in many ways, causinghindrances to their regular activities. Male middlemen suppliers,contractors and exporters dominate the industry and takeadvantage of women's isolation in the home and lack of accessto credit, supplies and knowledge about the economy of theirwork. Women are handicapped in the current centralizedwholesale market set-up controlled by men. Women, due to theirphysical stature often encounter "mastans"(hoodlooms) rowdymales, whom they find hard to tackle and are stressed to paymoney on demand. Women entrepreneurs are often cheated bytheir male partners in trade through unscrupulous means whichmay turn hazardous when apt to encounter. Home-basedworkers lack access to inputs and services like credit, inputsupplies, markets and new technology that could increase theirproductivity. Women observing "purdah"(seclusion) often find ithard to visit banks, purchase their inputs or raw materials ormarket their product in public settings where they would have todeal with men. Rural women do not generally own physicalassets that can be used as collateral for loans, as assets areusually in the names of their male relatives. They are generallypoor and lacking in both education and self-confidence. Theyare perpetually in debt to money-lenders or to wholesalesuppliers who create serious problems, thus losing much of theirmeagre earning in paying exorbitant weekly interest charges.They often suffer the indignities of sexual harassment, being

jostled away from prime selling spots. Sometimes theirmovements are restricted due to security reasons. Women haveno legal knowledge or help in protecting their industries andoften fall victims to illegal threats or criminal offences.Problems in business are various. Inadequacy of capital isstill the main problem and where available the high interest ratesdiscourage investment. Moreover, non-availability of efficient orskilled labour, absence of marketing facilities for women and theabsence of proper sales centre are some of the major obstacles tosmooth transactions in business. Besides, products aresometimes put up for sale on credit basis creating problems inthe collection of the sale money. Due to lack of storing facilitiesand space, the women entrepreneurs suffer serious problemsthrough damage or theft of the products. The prices of productsare often kept low because of competition. Other problems arisewhen the buyer does not provide the actual price or thewhole-seller takes goods on credit. Middlemen create problemswith regard to low payment. Lack of improved implements andmachinery, existing competition faced due to expansion ofproduction, difficulty in the procurement of raw materials,problems of sales collection, problems increased by middlemen,constraints in transportation and marketing are existingproblems for business. Besides, lack of management andproduction skill, lack of healthy workplace environment andespecially lack of training facilities are some of the majorconstraints which should be overcome for steady functioning ofthe business. Due to lack of market facilities women do not getthe proper prices for their products, which are under priced bythe customers or wholesalers who order their products.The success of the women entrepreneurs have beenreflected in their socio-economic developments. The economicsolvency and changes in the homestead and the enterprise, speakof their untiring efforts and the urge for a better life. Similar arethe social and socio-psychological changes where even the gainin the courage to talk with people regarding business or anytrade and the knowledge to distinguish between good and badinvestments and transactions, are great achievements.The nature of changes due to success in business have beenobserved economically both at the homestead and also withinthe enterprises or the workplaces. Socially and psychologically,the individual qualitative changes are the most effective for ithelps the individual to develop herself through her own initiativeand perseverance. Participation in decision making in familymatters and also matters of social importance, removal of socialseclusion or the religious sanctions against working women andalso decrease in social discrimination against these working

women are some of the fruitful achievements. Her increase inincome is also an increase in the family income, and it providesthe family members to have access to a better life-style,including education and better health for the children.Modernisation of the work-place, introduction of newtechnology for increased production, increase of workers, alongwith the increase in the purchasing power upgrades her statusboth socially and economically. Increased self-confidencethrough participation in trade and generation of income hadblessed most of these women with a home and a prosperousfuture.

Rokeya Afzal Rahman  The Winner of "Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World” award in 1999. Director of Bangladesh Bank and Midas,  President of Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh and Small Enterprise of Bangladesh.

A memorable childhood time

 

Rokeya Afzal Rahman come from a very conservative, aristocratic

Muslim family.  Her father was the biggest inspiration in my childhood.

He used to tell us he would give us the best asset of life that is education.

So whenever he chose the best school there and put us in that school. The

girls in her family even had governess coming at home and teach them.

Her father was the first man who sent his daughters to school.  He used to

tell us that school is a part of life. It's not just books and studies. He used

to tell us that a school is needed to mix with other students, to interact and

differentiate between the bad company and the good company.

 

Her family was a really a big one. She had 12 brothers and sisters. Her

parents made him help her younger brother and sister in their

studies .They were taught.

 

Would like to add

She would like to say that “I was not differentiated that I was a girl and

my brother was a boy. Only difference was we went to girl's schools and

girl's colleges”.

 

 

Her inspiration

She didn't get a role model at that time. Her father encouraged him in that

way. He really supported him all through her young age. He saw her and

her brother doing the same studies. He realized that a woman could the

same things, which a man can do. But her mother was that positive

towards her daughters' education and career .She was not negative either.

Now she have developed her career and status and her own business. Her

mother realized that a women has also the potential. She encouraged my

daughters to build up their career. She told them for their own self-respect

they need to study. She supported her two daughters. Actually her working

and doing well changed her mother's idea and views. Before that she was

not optimistic and later on she was more positive. Her father was very

supportive all the time.

 

A high-quality study life

Rokeya Afzal Rahman was born in Calcutta. She spent a very brief period

in Loreto convent Calcutta for two months before they went to Karachi.

She was in Karachi in Saint Joseph convent school and college. Straight

from college she got an opportunity to join a bank.

 

An amazing family

 

Rokeya Afzal Rahman got married in October 1964. Shehave two

daughters and a son. 

The career begins

Rokeya Afzal Rahman entered the bank. While working in the bank she

took all technical education. She had one-year technical training in

banking which included accounting, bookkeeping. After that they had to

take another exam called the institute of bankers in Pakistan. For that she

had to take evening classes from the institute of bankers. Her technical

education was financial banking.

 

It was Muslim commercial Bank. While doing the job over there she was

getting paid, she got her training. She  joined the bank in 1962. They

opened a branch and she was number two in that branch. It was a ladies

branch. From there they transferred him to east Pakistan Dhaka in 1964.

She became the first women's bank manager. She took a group of women

under her and trained them and they became her professionals.

 

 

The business starts

 

She was not satisfied working from home, so when her children reached

their teens she started her cold storage business. In 1980 she set up RR

Cold Storage with loans from BSB (Bangladesh Shilpa bank). With the

BSB loan she bought land in Munshiganj, imported machinery and set up

the cold storage plant.

She was determined to make the business successful. She was ready to

take risks and she used to stick to her commitments. In 1997 she bought an

ailing cold storage, revamped it with new machinery and new

management.

 

Experience

 

As the cold storage was located in remote area, there she didn't have

access by road and they had to go by launch wearing life jackets. Even

today they do the same thing. She have to visit the cold storage personally

to interact with the farmers and the workers who have accepted him as a

trustworthy employer.

  

Her business involves.........not only storing, buying and selling potatoes

but also deciding the price and growth of the vegetable, renting out space

as well as storing seeds for the farmers for the next year's season.

 

A Clandestine dream that came true

 

She always had a dream to do something for the women of Bangladesh.

She had a hidden ambition to promote women entrepreneurship in

Bangladesh. As a board member and chairperson of MIDAS's Women

entrepreneurship Development Committee, she got the chance to help the

women start business with collateral free loans. At the monthly meetings

she counsel the women entrepreneurs on business strategies and upgrading

products.

She also helped to set up outlets known as " Mini marts" to market the

products. She has initiated the Women 2 Women Support Programs

whereby an established woman entrepreneur helps a potential woman

entrepreneur for a whole year to give her a head start.

 

 

Her words for the young women

 

“All the women should have a career now a day's. For that they must

study. If I can manage a business and a family at the same time, all the

other women can do the same. They must have the hard work and take the

initiative. If they try they can be the leaders everywhere they want to.

They can be at home and do something productive. They must be

encouraged by their family, life partner, the government, the society and

every other person to take the first step”.

NASREEN FATEMA AWAL Managing Director MF Consumers Ltd. Bangladesh

EDUCATION:

Academic/Professional:

In 1976 she has graduated (pre-university) from Harbert Lehman High School,

Bronx, New York. She also successfully completed the undergraduate course

in Manhattan College N.Y.USA in Sociology.

CAREER HISTORY:

Name of Organization Position in the Organization Nature of Business

M F Consumers Ltd. Managing Director Johnson & Johnson products – sole

distributorship

Lal Teer Seed Ltd. Director OP and Hybrid Seed production, processing

And research Joongbo Multimode Chemicals Ltd.

Managing Director PE Foam Manufacturing & Trading Kay & Que (BD) Ltd.

Director Manufacturers of Carbon Rods Dry cell, Tar etc. A&A Investment Ltd.

Director Investment in Real Estate and land development NFM Limited. .

Pragati Insurance Ltd. Sponsor General Insurance

Multimode Limited Shareholder Trading & Investment

CREATIVE WORKS: (Awards etc.)

“Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award 2008”

“Best personality for women entrepreneurship development award” by

President SAARC Women Entrepreneurs Council.

CIVIC, POLITICAL & PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITIES:

Took the pioneering role organizing the Women Entrepreneur Association of

Bangladesh (WEAB) IN 1998, a trade organization to help the women

Entrepreneurs of Bangladesh and guide them to ensure proper management of their

business.

Elected Chairperson of SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs council.

Attended in the Seminar on: “Development of Women Entrepreneurs” organized

By Asian Productivity Organization (APO) at Cebu City, Philippines. And

delivered a presentation on Country Paper.

Attended SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs Council (SCWEC) Meet &

Exhibition in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Maldives. (Lead a delegation of Women

Entrepreneurs from Bangladesh).

Attended as a member of state delegation at Bangladesh Single Country Trade

Show in Yangoon.

Attended Bangladesh Trade Show in Paris, France, organized by Export

Promotion Bureau.

Attended Global Summit & Gala at Washington D.C., USA organized by

Diversity of Women Leadership.

Conference & Exhibition of Diversity of Women Leadership Summit & Gala at

Marrakech, Morocco, organized by Diversity of Women Leadership of Morocco.

Organized the Regional Conference of SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneurs

Council (SCWEC) and Dhaka Village Fair in Dhaka.

Sponsor of Shahajahan Bhuiyan Memorial Junior School, where cost of books,

teachers’ remuneration and children’s recreation expenses are born by the sponsor.

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

Attended the First Forum for Business Women in the Islamic Countries, organized

by Islamic Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Sharjah, UAE and presented a Key

Note Paper on Sharing Experiences amongst Women Entrepreneurs.

Awarded as Best Women Entrepreneurs in the Country by “Swadesh Shamaj

Kallyan Shangho” at Dhaka.

Attended a workshop on Development of Women Entrepreneurship in OIC member

countries in Karachi, Pakistan and presented the Key Note Paper.

CURRENT MEMBERSHIPS: (Professional Associations, Clubs, etc.)

Involvement in Trade Body / Association / Chamber

Name of Organization Position in the Organization Nature of Business

Women Entrepreneurs

Association of Bangladesh (WEAB) President

(Founder President) An association of women entrepreneurs (affiliated with

FBCCI)

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry Director

(Former)

The Apex Body of Business Community

SAARC Chamber Women

Entrepreneurs Council Chairperson (Former) A Council under the aegis of

SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry for the benefit of women entrepreneurs

In the region Institutional / Social Association Activities Name of Organization Position

in the Organization Nature of Organization

Mintoo Nasreen Trust Trustee & Co- Author Services in the field of

education (School/College)

Dhaka American Women’s Club Vice President (EX) United Nations Women’s Club

Member National Association for

Resource Improvement (NARI) Treasurer Working for the development of

women & Children Dagonbhuiyan Girls High School Chairperson Governing Body

Shahajahan Bhuiyan Memorial Junior School Chairman

International Life Science

Institute (ILSI) Member, Board of Trustee

  

              Selima Ahmad President, Bangladesh Women                                        Chamber of Commerce and Industry,                                        Bangladesh.  

Aware of the need for a national body to represent the interests and supported the initiatives of

women entrepreneurs, Selima Ahmad took the initiative to found the Bangladesh Women Chamber

of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI), a chamber of commerce devoted exclusively to facilitating the

advancement of women entrepreneurs.

 

Before this, Ms. Ahmad has worked with numerous trade organizations, including the Federation of

Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Bangladesh Automobile Assemblers and

Manufacturers Association, Bangladesh Handicraft Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Bangladesh Association of publicity listed Companies.

 

In the private sector, Ms. Ahmad currently serves as Vice Chair of the Nitol-Niloy Group. She has a

held various top management positions in a number of companies, particularly in the areas of

Finance and Human Resources, such as Nitol Motors Ltd, Nitol Cement Industries Ltd, Capital

Services Lts, Central Properties Ltd, Fidelity Assets & Securities Co. Ltd.

 

For her contribution to business development Ms. Ahmad received the title of “Business Personality

of the year 2008” from the Bangladesh Cultural Reporters Association. Among other awards,

Financial Weekly Magazine recognized her as Best Business Woman in 2000, 2002 and 2003.

 

Ms. Ahmad holds a Bachelor (Hons.) in Management and a Master in Management, both from

Dhaka University.

Kani z Almas Khan

Renowned beautician and the CEO of Persona

Kaniz Almas Khan is a renowned beautician and the CEO of Persona. Persona is an

organization which provides world-class beauty care services with all new features that

anyone can ever dream of. With Kaniz Almas’ vision, Persona has proven its excellence

and commitment in its endless journey towards grooming lives. Kaniz Almas Khan is a

beauty envoy of the nation. According to her, the beauty care industry is one of the fastest

growing industries of our country. 

As the disposable household income is increasing and people are getting more concerned

about their beauty and health day by day, the contribution of their disposable income in

the beauty care sector has also increased significantly. In addition to owning the beauty

care centers, Kaniz Almas is also the editor and publisher of Persona’s sister concern

organization and a global standard fashion magazine “CANVAS”.

Conclusion:Government and private sector interventions have generallyaccelerated income generating activities of women both in theurban and rural areas with entrepreneurship development. Theways m which women are involved in this sector in the ruralareas are through selling labour (wage labour), engaging intrading activities (self-employment) and operating smallindustrial productions (enterprise owners). Working as labourmay give them temporary employment but it does not improvetheir conditions or promote their advancement. Scope of tradingactivities especially in the rural areas, in view of extensivepoverty and the large number of people who need to engage inincome earning activities, is limited. Engaging in production orrural industrial activities seem to be the most viable avenue forwhich the women should be assisted to take up.Non-government organizations have equally joined handswith the government efforts for economic salvation andprovided various forms of opportunities for women to help themearn their living, paving the way for greater entrepreneurshipdevelopment. Women have now become aware of theirsocio-economic rights and have ventured to avail theopportunities initiated for them. Rural Bangladesh is now achanged scenario for the women who have gathered courage tobreak barriers and enter the off-house working force asentrepreneurs and workers - a situation not appropriate forwomen or accepted by the society in the past. The urban areashave greater opportunities for business development but theareas where women lack assistance is in the access to credit,provision of skill training, and market facilities. FBCCI has astrong Standing Committee, for Women EntrepreneurshipDevelopment. The activities of the Committee include: (1)setting up of a Women Entrepreneurship Development Cell; (2)identification of women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh; (3)publication of a directory of women entrepreneurs with theiraddresses, forms of business, products manufactured etc.; (4)organizing entrepreneurship development training; (5)organizing convention of women entrepreneurs, discussionmeetings on the problems and prospects of womenentrepreneurship in Bangladesh; (6) presenting awards for

successful women entrepreneurs etc.; (7) arranging marketopportunities.Women entrepreneurs should be provided special facilitiesto develop their enterprises. These include: (1) DevelopmentBanks with separate advisory service cell for women; (2)Separate counters in counters in commercial banks for women;(3) Arrangement of exclusive fairs to promote productsmanufactured by small & cottage based units; (4) Fixed quota ofstalls for women entrepreneurs at export fairs; (5) Specialmarket facilities both in the domestic and the international arena.Government resources are limited. Infrastructure developmentand other broad sectors of economy, demand and consumemajor share of the national development budget. It is thussometimes said that poverty alleviation goal receives morepalliatives than substance. In face of things as they stand, boththe GOs and the private sector have a major responsibility topromote entrepreneurship development for women. Without thatthe advancement of women will remain a far cry.