Speakers at the special talk session stressed the importance of supporting young women entrepreneurs to foster an equitable society.
Nari Maitry in collaboration with Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA) organised an event titled “Lecture on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for an Equal Society” at Prof. Latifa Akhand Conference Room of Nari Maitry’s headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday.
The session was chaired by Shaheen Akhter Dolly, Executive Director, Nari Maitry, while Shahriar Nasrin, Joint Director, Small and Medium Enterprises and Special Programmes Department, Bangladesh Bank, and Mosamat Farzana Naznin Shami, Senior Entrepreneur, Joyeeta Foundation, spoke at the programme.
Mr. ZB Nishat, LOLA Dhaka Bangladesh Chapter President, gave a presentation outlining the overview of the event and the expected outcomes of the program.
Shaheen Akhter Dolly stressed that the event aimed to inspire women to take the initiative in entrepreneurial and leadership roles, provide practical advice and strategies to overcome the challenges of starting a business, and facilitate connections between aspiring and established women entrepreneurs to foster mutual support and collaboration.
She said Nari Maitry has always been a source of inspiration for women entrepreneurs and is committed to supporting them.
Farzana Naznin Shami said that women are not lagging behind in the modern era and are achieving success and progress alongside men in various fields.
Shahriar Nasrin, joint director of Small and Medium Enterprises and Special Programmes at Bangladesh Bank, said each new woman entrepreneur creates countless opportunities in Bangladesh, strengthening women’s empowerment in this digital era.
To meet the growing market demand, women entrepreneurs are entering industries such as fashion, beauty and education, which are highly profitable. Women entrepreneurs are occupying a key position in the country’s growing economy.
She said Bangladesh Bank was taking and implementing various measures for the development of women entrepreneurs.
She also said Bangladesh Bank has a Tk 3,000 crore fund for women entrepreneurs with interest rate of just 5 percent. Moreover, Bangladesh Bank is conducting training on financial literacy and has set up a Women Entrepreneurs Unit where women entrepreneurs can raise their concerns.
