Women entrepreneurs can play a big role in Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and their small initiatives should be promoted for women empowerment, said Harry Verweij, Dutch ambassador to Bangladesh, yesterday.
Women form the backbone of a nation’s real development and the Netherlands is supporting women entrepreneurs for their empowerment in Bangladesh, he added.
Verweij was addressing the inauguration of a five-day “MIDAS SME Fair-2019” organised by the Micro Industries Development Assistance and Services (MIDAS) for women entrepreneurs at “Doel Centre” in Pabna district headquarters.
The fair has 31 stalls, including 25 of Pabna-based entities, displaying handicrafts, clothes, homemade dishes and paintings.
Razina Sultana Rini, owner of Bornil Fashion House, said, “This is the first time I got an opportunity to showcase my products in such a wide space.”
“I have been running clothes business for over a decade and have 15 to 20 employees in my factory,” she said.
The fair opened the doors for small women entrepreneurs to bring their products before the world market, Anjan Chowdhury, chairman of MIDAS, told journalists present at the venue.
“Women entrepreneurs have many innovative products and they are also playing an important role in our economy. If they get support, they can expand their market,” he said.
