Publications

In 2008, at a high-level policy forum jointly organized by the Planning Commission of Bangladesh and WISE (Women’s Initiative for Self Employment), a keynote presentation was delivered on the research paper titled “Opportunities & Challenges of Business Expansion – Women SMEs in Bangladesh.” Serving as both researcher and keynote presenter, the author shed light on the evolving landscape of women-led small and medium enterprises (SMEs), highlighting their growing contributions to economic development, employment generation, and community resilience. The study explored the dual realities faced by women entrepreneurs—emerging opportunities driven by market liberalization, microfinance, and digital access, alongside persistent structural challenges such as limited access to capital, gender bias, inadequate policy support, and lack of networking platforms. Drawing on empirical data and field insights, the paper offered a roadmap for scaling women-owned SMEs through targeted capacity building, inclusive financial instruments, market linkage facilitation, and supportive regulatory frameworks. The keynote called for a gender-sensitive business ecosystem that not only enables women to start businesses but also empowers them to sustain and grow. This timely contribution informed national policy discussions and reinforced the importance of integrating women’s economic empowerment into Bangladesh’s broader development agenda.

 

Author: Syeda Farzana Morshed