Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu on Saturday assured the women entrepreneurs of increased allocation of land in the country’s industrial zones so they can contribute to the national economy further. The assurance came at an award giving ceremony of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the multipurpose hall of the Diploma Engineers Institute in the city.
The BWCCI arranged the function titled ‘BWCCI Progressive Award-2013’ in cooperation with Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd and IFAD group.
BWCCI president Sangita Ahmed presided over the function while Green Delta Insurance Company managing director Farjana Chowdhury, IFAD Group director Tasfin Ahmed, founder president of the trade body Selima Ahmad and senior vice-president of BWCCI Munmun Rahman also spoke.
Amu said the women were still lagging behind in terms of their involvement in the country’s trade and commerce.
‘We feel proud of the womenfolk for their praiseworthy role both in home and abroad,’ he said.
Referring to the initiatives of the BWCCI to honour successful women entrepreneurs, the minister said the trade body was not only making the women self-reliant but also giving a big boost to the women empowerment.
The government will provide the women with all-out support from the industries ministry to set up manufacturing units, said the industries minister.
Women are now suffering from violence and discrimination, Sangita Ahmed said and added that the womenfolk advanced much during the last few decades but the progress was not up to the mark due to policy supports.
‘Women entrepreneurs deserve increase allocation of land in industrial zones for their contribution to the national economy,’ said the BWCCI president.
Selima Ahmad, who got the Oslo Business for Peace award, said Bangladesh’s women policy had been working in the whole world.
The women entrepreneurs demanded that the government should increase the strategic amenities and infrastructural supports for women so that they could transform them into SME entrepreneurs from entrepreneurs.
Seven women entrepreneurs were given the ‘BWCCI Progressive Award-2013’ this year.
The awardees were Ayesha Akhter from Barisal, Shamim Ara Lipi from Chittagong, Farjana Fatema Borna from Dhaka, Tanzima Jesmin from Khulna, Chandana Ghosh from Rangpur, Morium begum from Rajshahi and Farida Alam from Sylhet.
Besides, two journalists — senior reporter of Baishakhi TV Imtiaz Shahriar Imon and staff reporter of Bangla daily Samokal Shamsul Haque Mohammad Miraj — were also honoured for their reporting on women empowerment.
-With New Age input
