Women entrepreneurs need positive mindset to come up with large-scale investments to contribute to the country's economy in a big way, speakers told a roundtable in Dhaka yesterday.
They also said business in a group with small investments can be an effective measure for the small entrepreneurs in this regard.
They were speaking at the roundtable on 'Small Investment-based Group Business Potential for Women Entrepreneurs', organised by Women in Small Enterprise (WISE), a venture of MIDAS (Micro Industries Development Assistance and Services), at CIRDAP auditorium.
Speaking at the function, President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) MA Momen said the women entrepreneurs need strong determination and right attitude to do business in any sector.
He also said successful entrepreneurs will contribute to ensuring women emancipation.
Referring to the DCCI cell on women entrepreneurs, he said women can receive required information on entrepreneurship from the cell.
Chairing the function, WISE President Rokia Afzal Rahman urged the small women entrepreneurs to form groups to start large-scale business in Bangladesh. "As some financial institutions including banks are financing business in groups, you can approach them for getting financial supports," she told the women entrepreneurs.
Khondoker Ibrahim Khaled, managing director of Pubali Bank, said education and skills are needed to remove obstacles to development of women entrepreneurship.
Khushi Kabir, a women leader, said the society of the country is itself an obstacle to women emancipation.
Hosne Ara, founder of Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS), a non-governmental organisation, said women entrepreneurship growth is improving, although the pace is slow. "We have to take risks in doing business in the country," she added.
Urging women to develop entrepreneurship, Abdur Rashid Gazi, managing director of MIDAS, said the women entrepreneurs should come up with group business approach.
