Public-Private Sector Dialogue
Separate market for women in Sylhet city stressed
Business leaders, women entrepreneurs and government officials at a dialogue here yesterday stressed the need for setting up a separate market for women in the divisional city.
Besides, they suggested creation of an open forum where public and private sectors will discuss and analyse the problems in a bid to develop an effective public-private partnership to resolve those. It would surely improve the environment for business and investment in the region, they noted.
The discussants called for strengthening the business information centre, set up at the city corporation. They also emphasised arrangement of skill development and business management training for women entrepreneurs.
A good number of government officials, business leaders and others joined the public-private sector dialogue organised by Sylhet Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) and Women Business Forum (WBF), Sylhet with technical assistance from Asia Foundation and others.
SCCI administrator Dr. Mohammad Abul Hasan moderated the dialogue while deputy commissioner of Sylhet Abu Syed Mohammad Hashim chaired.
Commissioner of taxes Abdul Jabbar, commissioner of customs & Vat Saiful Islam, Bangladesh Bank's general manager Nirmal Chandra Bhakta, WBF vice-president Swarnalata Roy and general secretary Runa Begum, former SCCI presidents MA Salam Chowdhury and MA Razzaque Chowdhury, Sylhet Press Club president Ahmed Nur, Bangladesh poultry farm protection committee president Foyez Raja Chowdhury, farmer Md. Syedur Rahman, SME Foundation's Shahin Anwar, Pubali Bank DGM Mosaddek Chowdhury, Asia Foundation's deputy country representative Shamim Siddique among others spoke at the dialogue.
Dr. Abul Hasan read out a report on the achievements from the previous 4 public-private dialogue held between the women business forum and the government officials during the last 2 years.
Issuance of trade licenses, TIN certificate, poultry farm registration certificate, dealing license etc. have now been made easier in Sylhet, Hasan said.
Besides, Pubali Bank has already started a separate desk for the women entrepreneurs in Sylhet while 50 women entrepreneurs were given loans with the WBF as guarantor in addition to another group of 40 Manipuri female entrepreneurs in the region, he informed.
Mayor Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran assured of taking measures for a separate market for the women.
Lawmaker Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury said WBF, Sylhet through their activities in organising the women business people in the region would be a strong and effective organisation in the near future.
Special Economic Zone (SEZ) refers to a specially earmarked area with potential for extensive economic activities. With huge participation of the NRBs, the proposed SEZ in Sylhet would be the first of its king in Bangladesh. It would be located in Habiganj, having a good communication through rail, road and river links with the capital as with the other parts of the country. Besides, connectivity with gas line from Bibiyana is also there, he added.
Deputy commissioner Abu Syed Mohammad Hashim said a programme for bringing the fallow lands in Sylhet division under cultivation is being taken at a cost of Tk 800 crore. He also assured of giving allout assistance to women entrepreneurs in the district.
WBF Sylhet president Dr. Anwara Khatun urged the bankers to extend loan on easy terms and called for training of potential women entrepreneurs in the region. She also sought assistance from the business leaders for the women entrepreneurs for wider market access of their products.
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