Corruption slows down growth of women entrepreneurs' businesses
Sunday, 9 May 2010
FE Report
More than 10 per cent women entrepreneurs discontinues their businesses as a sequel to corruption in obtaining licences having access to credit and marketing their products.
This was expressed at a meeting on "engaging women entrepreneurs in anti-corruption reform efforts," organised by Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) at a local hotel on Saturday.
BWCCI president Selima Ahmad who chaired the meeting, said corruption is responsible for the non-utilisation of the Tk 1.2 billion earmarked for women entrepreneurs from Bangladesh Bank's Tk 5.0 billion SME fund.
Reviewing cases of the chamber's 2000 members, she said 60 per cent women was refused trade licenses and corruption has slowed down growth of businesses of majority women entrepreneurs.
Anti-corruption Commission secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, Director General of Export Promotion Bureau M Amir Hussain, first secretary of National Board of Revenue M Anwar Hossain and Bangladesh Bank Board director Prof Hannana Begum addressed the meeting.
Many women entrepreneurs from various sectors like printing, advertisement and export businesses shared their experiences of corruption.
The ACC secretary said corruption is a social problem in which women can bring changes through raising their voices at different stages.
"If women are vocal, many public officials will be scared to do corruption," he said adding that many problems will not exist in the society if women expand their areas of work. The allegations of not getting access to property, credit facility or business will also be removed by raising voices unitedly through platforms like BWCCI.
The BB board director said corruption emerges in the absence of policy and called upon the women entrepreneurs to learn all the policies related to business and women rights to seek justice from the society.
The NBR first secretary said harassments faced by women entrepreneurs' in getting tax identification number will be removed gradually through digitalisation and assured them of introducing single contact point at NBR to facilitate them completing tax related activities without harassment.
The women entrepreneurs also demanded separate women cell in different institutions including banks, NBR and EPB to help them get their work done easily.
More than 10 per cent women entrepreneurs discontinues their businesses as a sequel to corruption in obtaining licences having access to credit and marketing their products.
This was expressed at a meeting on "engaging women entrepreneurs in anti-corruption reform efforts," organised by Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) at a local hotel on Saturday.
BWCCI president Selima Ahmad who chaired the meeting, said corruption is responsible for the non-utilisation of the Tk 1.2 billion earmarked for women entrepreneurs from Bangladesh Bank's Tk 5.0 billion SME fund.
Reviewing cases of the chamber's 2000 members, she said 60 per cent women was refused trade licenses and corruption has slowed down growth of businesses of majority women entrepreneurs.
Anti-corruption Commission secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, Director General of Export Promotion Bureau M Amir Hussain, first secretary of National Board of Revenue M Anwar Hossain and Bangladesh Bank Board director Prof Hannana Begum addressed the meeting.
Many women entrepreneurs from various sectors like printing, advertisement and export businesses shared their experiences of corruption.
The ACC secretary said corruption is a social problem in which women can bring changes through raising their voices at different stages.
"If women are vocal, many public officials will be scared to do corruption," he said adding that many problems will not exist in the society if women expand their areas of work. The allegations of not getting access to property, credit facility or business will also be removed by raising voices unitedly through platforms like BWCCI.
The BB board director said corruption emerges in the absence of policy and called upon the women entrepreneurs to learn all the policies related to business and women rights to seek justice from the society.
The NBR first secretary said harassments faced by women entrepreneurs' in getting tax identification number will be removed gradually through digitalisation and assured them of introducing single contact point at NBR to facilitate them completing tax related activities without harassment.
The women entrepreneurs also demanded separate women cell in different institutions including banks, NBR and EPB to help them get their work done easily.