Experts seen at the workshop on 'Challenges of Trading Across Borders Facing the Women Traders of Bangladesh: Recent Findings and Way Forward', organised by BUILD and IFC held recently in the city Women businessmen have urged to create a business-friendly environment for them to help promote the country's economy.
They also said e-payment system and e-filing system need to be more utilized.
Attending a workshop on 'Challenges of Trading Across Borders Facing the Women Traders of Bangladesh: Recent Findings and Way Forward', organized by BUILD and IFC recently at InterContinental Dhaka, they said major barriers faced by the women-owned companies relating to time, cost and process in export and import must be removed.
Ferdaus Ara Begum, CEO, BUILD presented the findings of the Baseline Survey on Challenges of Trading Across Borders Facing the Women Traders of Bangladesh which was conducted by BUILD in collaboration with IFC-WBG.
She highlighted the major barriers faced by the women-owned enterprises relating to time, cost and process in export and import. She also highlighted several policy recommendations which are certified and qualified lawyers or professionals to provide services to WOE, capacity building of WOE, disaggregated data of women exporters, active help desk etc.
Khondaker Muhammad Aminur Rahman, Member, Customs Audit, Modernization and International Trade, NBR was the Chief Guest of the programme.
Extending gratitude to BUILD and IFC-WBG for taking this initiative, he said that implementation of National Single Window within 2 or three years will reduce many problems related to time, cost and process related to export and import of the women traders.
A total of 39 departments of government will be connected under NSW which will expedite the simplification of trade-related issues.
Implementation of Pre-Arrival Processing will reduce the unnecessary delay in trade process of women traders. However, he highlighted that small and medium traders being not interested in e-payment is an obstacle for traders to avail more simplified trade related services.
Mushfiq Bin Akbar, Private Sector Advisor of DFID Bangladesh, said that public private dialogues are necessary for specifying reinvigorating measures to be taken for easing the trade related process for traders. He also said that the standards and certification for the non traditional sectors need to be given more focus.
Sharifa Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Commerce said that there is a need of formulating a dedicated service center which can provide all the trade related information to the traders.
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