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Establishing women's rights and empowerment is essential for a nation's development. Dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs for an equitable society, Nari Maitree, in collaboration with the Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA), organized a special speaker session titled “Speaker Session on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for an Equitable Society” The event was held on Saturday (July 13), in the Professor Latifa Akand Meeting Room at Nari Maitree’s headquarters, Agargaon, Dhaka.
The session was chaired by Shaheen Akter Dolly, Executive Director of Nari Maitree, and distinguished speakers including Shahriar Nasrin, Joint Director of the SME and Special Programs Department of Bangladesh Bank, and Mosammat Farzana Naznin Shammi, senior entrepreneur from Joyeeta Foundation. Z B Nishat, the chapter leader of LOLA Dhaka Bangladesh, gave a presentation summarizing the event and outlining the expected outcomes of the programs.
Shaheen Akter Dolly emphasized, "Today's event aims to inspire women to take initiative in entrepreneurship and leadership roles, provide practical advice and strategies to overcome entrepreneurial challenges and facilitate connections between aspiring and established women entrepreneurs for mutual support and collaboration. Nari Maitree always serves as an inspiration for women entrepreneurs and she is committed to supporting young women entrepreneurs in their journey towards creating a just society."
Farzana Naznin Shammi, noted, "Women are not lagging in today's era. They are achieving success and progressing alongside men in various fields. There are numerous paths to becoming a successful woman entrepreneur if approached correctly." She offered valuable advice to young woman entrepreneurs on identifying personal goals and skills, building self-confidence, planning for business, gaining necessary skills, expanding networks, and creating a unique identity to succeed as a woman entrepreneur.
Shahriar Nasrin, Joint Director of the SME and Special Programs Department of Bangladesh Bank, expressed her gratitude to Nari Maitree and LOLA for organizing this special event focused on empowering young women entrepreneurs. She said, "In this digital age, countless opportunities are emerging in Bangladesh with each new woman entrepreneur, enhancing women's empowerment. Women entrepreneurs are participating in industries such as fashion, beauty, and education to meet the growing market demand, which is highly profitable. Women entrepreneurs have secured a significant place in the country's growing economy. Consequently, the Bangladesh Bank is taking and implementing various steps for the development of women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs are also gaining opportunities to conduct business internationally, which is commendable. I hope that today’s young entrepreneurs will bring great honour to our country in the future."
She also mentioned that Bangladesh Bank has a fund of 3,000 crore taka with an interest rate of only 5% for women entrepreneurs. Additionally, Bangladesh Bank is providing training on financial literacy and has established a Women's Entrepreneur Unit where women entrepreneurs can voice their concerns.
Khaled bin Yousuf the Program Coordinator of Nari Maitree concluded the session and he remarked “This event marks a significant step towards fostering an equitable society by empowering young women entrepreneurs, ensuring their continuous growth and success.”
Messenger/Sajib
