Rokia Afzal Rahman: An architect of women entrepreneurs
Prominent entrepreneur Rokia Afzal Rahman, a former advisor to the caretaker government, was one of the architects of creating women entrepreneurs in independent Bangladesh, said speakers at a memorial meeting held in her remembrance.
The event, jointly organised by Micro Industries Development Assistance and Services (MIDAS) and Midas Financing Limited (MFL), was held at Midas Centre in the capital's Dhanmondi yesterday.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Rokia, the chairperson of Mediaworld Ltd, the owning company of The Daily Star, passed away in her sleep on April 5 at Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore.
She is survived by two daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.
At the memorial meeting, her eldest daughter Erum Mariam became emotional and said, "My mother lived a complete life. Her life consisted of family, relatives, and the staff of her workplaces."
Highlighting Rokia's love and support for women, Erum also said that her mother referred to women entrepreneurs as her daughters.
Rokia's sister, Khadija Afzal, who serves as a vice-president of the Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (BFWE), expressed gratitude to her sister for the support she provided to the entire family in times of need.
She also acknowledged her sister's role in shaping her own life.
Parvin Mahmud, a director at Midas, read out from an article on Rokia Afzal published in the Bangla daily Prothom Alo's supplement "Chutir Dine" on June 11, 2005.
In the article, Rokia emphasised the exceptional business management and accounting skills of women. She also admired their impressive loan repayment rates. She praised the female entrepreneurs associated with Midas, whose loan repayment rate stood at an impressive 99.5 percent, contrasting the prevalent issue of defaulters among other banks in the country.
Ali Imam Majumder, former cabinet secretary and MFL chairman, attested to Rokia's respect for people and her extensive social network.
Golam Rahman, independent director of MFL and president of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), hailed Rokia as a pioneer in women's empowerment in the country.
Mustafizur Rahman, managing director of MFL, said Rokia's passing left an irreparable void.
"Rokia Afzal Rahman was one of the architects of creating women entrepreneurs," he said.
Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, a director at MFL, said her legacy would continue to thrive through the institutions she established.
Rokia received numerous awards, including the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the world, Monte Carlo 1999; Businessperson of the Year-2003 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh; the Priyadarshani award in India, and the Deshbondhu Award for Women Empowerment.
Zahida Ispahani, chairman of Midas, hailed her as an inspiration and commended Rokia's extraordinary sense of humanity and her ability to connect with ordinary people.
ASM Moshiur Rahman, managing director at Midas, mentioned Rokia's visionary ideas about developing financing and marketing opportunities for women entrepreneurs.
Rokia Afzal believed that by creating women entrepreneurs, society would achieve gender equality and witness a decline in violence against women, he said.
Sabina Alam, a director of Midas, praising Rokia for her role in empowering women entrepreneurs, said her encouragement provides them with the courage to move forward.
Aklima Sultana, president of the Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA), proposed holding regular events to highlight Rahman's path in creating women entrepreneurs for future generations.
Renowned entrepreneur Manjulika Chakma and Executive Director of Faith Bangladesh, Nilufar Ahmed Karim, shared their experience of working with Rokia over the years.
The speakers mentioned that Rokia had the distinction of being the first female bank manager in then-East Pakistan during the 1960s. In 1980, she established a cold storage facility in independent Bangladesh and initiated an agricultural business.
Later, she dedicated herself to empowering women economically, elevating their status, and combatting violence against women.
Moderated by MFL General Manager Tanvir Hasan, the meeting was also attended by former caretaker government advisor M Hafiz Uddin Khan and Prothom Alo executive editor Sajjad Sharif, among others.
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