Tanuja Rahman Maya from Jessore emerged as the ‘Best Women Entrepreneur of the Year’ yesterday, for making a successful foray into the country’s handicrafts market.
Maya, owner of Rong Handicrafts, has received the National SME Women Entrepreneur Award 2010 at a function at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
SME Foundation organised the event, for the second time, to honour three women entrepreneurs.
Rokhsana Akter Shova from Dhaka has been awarded as the ‘Creative Women Entrepreneur of the Year’. She works with Kashem Fiberglass Composite Industry.
Sylhet-based Women’s Fashion World, owned by Shornolata Roy, has clinched the ‘Best Enterprise of the Year’ award for the best organisation operated by a woman.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the awards to the winners. Each winner has got Tk 1 lakh as prize money, and crest and certificate.
Muhith said although the participation of women in various sectors has increased, the country cannot claim that an equal participation has been ensured.
“We have increased the participation of women in politics. We are much ahead of the US and UK in this regard. But we don’t have achievement in every sector,” he said.
“We have heard and also read in newspapers that some people have invested their SME loans in the stockmarket.”
The market, which saw its steepest single day fall on Sunday, would have been stable if they used the loans in their own business, the minister said.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua, State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Representative Ian Crosby, SME Foundation Chairperson Aftab Ul Islam and Managing Director Syed Rezwanul Kabir also spoke on the occasion.
A total of 129 applicants applied for the awards in three categories. In 2008, the foundation awarded eight women entrepreneurs.
The guests at the ceremony also called for more and easy access of credit for women entrepreneurs to exploit their potential and help them contribute to the economy.
“Globally, the SMEs, many of them owned by women, do not have proper access to financial services. But we have seen that economically-empowered women can help their families and ensure education and good health of the families,” said Ian Crosby.
Crosby also urged Bangladesh’s financial institutions to look into the potential of lending to women entrepreneurs.
“Once the perception of the financial institutions changes, they will find women as loyal clients.”
Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said the women entrepreneurs should be brought to mainstream by providing all facilities.
