ICT can remove barriers for businesswomen
Information and communication technology (ICT) can play a vital role in removing barriers for women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, said speakers at a seminar yesterday.
Access to information is vital for every woman to decide her goal and the Internet has created equal opportunities for both males and females in this regard, said Farhana Rahman, chief executive officer of UY Systems LTd.
The Asia Foundation (TAF) and the Centre on Budget and Policy of Dhaka University jointly organised the seminar titled “Promoting ICT Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs” at The Daily Star Centre of the capital.
ICT will be the main tool for turning Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021, said Partha Pratim Deb, additional secretary of ICT division, of the post, telecommunications and information technology ministry, adding that Bangladesh will be able to achieve knowledge-based economy by 2041 and women will be the main strength of it.
TAF has implemented an 18-month pilot project in Barisal, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet to empower women entrepreneurs by providing them with networking opportunities, developing the capacity of women's business forums (WBFs) and women chambers, and improving access to information through strategic use of ICT tools, said Syed Al-Muti, associate director of economic development, TAF.
Some remarkable successes of the project include the creation of the first ever mobile network with a concessionary tariff scheme that connects women entrepreneurs with each other, he said.
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