May 15, 2011

Ms. Kaspia
Lecturer, Faculty of Business Administration
Department of English
American International University-Bangladesh

Dear Madam,
It gives us immense pleasure to submit a report on “Women Entrepreneurship in
Bangladesh”. This report is submitted as a partial fulfillment as a part of our course
“Business Communication” that was conducted on this topic. The preparation of the
report has given us and insightful experience and in-depth knowledge on “Women
Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh”. We have given our best effort to make it a worthy one
and each aspect of the problem is considered and studied as required.

If any confusion arises or further explanation is needed, we shall be available to explain

the matter to you as and when required despite having limitations. Your opinion and
authoritative advice will encourage us to conduct further flawless research in future.

Yours sincerely,

 Nayma Aslam ID# 09-1****-3 Sd.…………………...

 _____________ ID#09-14***-3 Sd................................

Preface
Women’s economic empowerment is an inevitable part of Women’s economic
empowerment is an inevitable part of development program, institutionalization of a
sustainable development process is just unthinkable. People’s long lasting thrust for a
participatory democracy in Bangladesh also requires a sustainable economic growth.
Nevertheless, this growth would always be untouchable without active and meaningful
participation of the country’s women folks. But most of the women entrepreneurship
level is lower in Bangladesh.

Acknowledgement
 At the very first moments, thanks to Almighty Allah for especial blessing in completing
the report.

While preparing the report, we got immense encouragement and full guidance given by
our course instructor, Ms.Kaspia. Without her relentless support, it would have been
impossible to conduct this study. We express our gratitude to our instructor for providing
us detailed feedback and technical assistance on the report.

It gives us immense pleasure to thank large number of individual from different location
who has contributed directly in this project for their help and encouragement. Finally, we
express our sincere gratitude to our family and friends for supporting us by providing us
different information whenever we needed.

Contents
  Acknowledgment..................................................................................v

• Chapter one:…………………………………………………….5-8

1.1. A Brief History of Women Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh (2-3)

1.2. Objectives of the study (4)

1.2.1. Broad objectives (4)

1.2.2. Short objectives (4)

1.3. Scope of the study (4)

1.4. Limitations of the study (5)

• Chapter two:……………………………………………………..9-11

2.1. Data collection techniques. (7)

• Questionnaire (7)

• Observation (7)

2.2. Sources of data collection. (7)

• Chapter three……………………………………………………..12-19

3.1. Social Barriers

3.2. Financial Barriers

3.3. Capacity Budgeting

3.4. Types of Women-Owned Business in Bangladesh

3.5. Education Level

3.6. Motivational Factors for Women Entrepreneurs

3.7. Client Survey Analysis

3.8 Example of Woman Entrepreneurship ( Case 1 )

3.9 Example of Woman Entrepreneurship ( Case 2 )

 Recommendation....…………………………………….................21

 Conclusion……………………………………………….………22

List of Illustrations
Table1. Women Entrepreneurship Percentage

Table2. Head of Household of Women Entrepreneurs Percentage

Table3. Percentage of Nature of Ownership of Enterprise

 Chapter One
Introduction of the Report

1.1 A Brief History of Women Entrepreneurship

in Bangladesh

Women’s economic empowerment is an inevitable part of development discourse.

Excluding women from the mainstream development program, institutionalization of a
sustainable development process is just unthinkable. People’s long lasting thrust for a
participatory democracy in Bangladesh also requires a sustainable economic growth.
Nevertheless, this growth would always be untouchable without active and meaningful
Participation of the country’s women folks. Keep the issues in mind, the Bangladesh
Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, since its inception in 2001, has been
working for women entrepreneurship development across the country. As part of its
unbroken enlightened visions towards a gender friendly environment, especially in
private sector, BWCCI has been implementing a project named ‘Promoting Women
Entrepreneurship through Advocacy’ in cooperation with the Center for International
Private Enterprise. The main goal of the project is to facilitate increased participation.

1.2 Objectives of the Study

Every study should have some objectives in it. Before doing this study, we also had some
broad objectives and some specific objectives of the study. They are given blow.

1.1.1. Broad Objective:

• To analyse the current situation of woman entrepreneurship in Bangladesh

• To analyse woman satisfaction.

• To analyse present and future condition

1.1.2. Specific Objectives

o Analysis on How To build the institutional capacity of the Bangladesh

Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry in order to improve advocacy
campaign techniques and strategies

o Analysis on How to improve the legislative environment in which women

entrepreneurs operates in Bangladesh, nationally and locally.

o To study the problems of the system.

1.3 Scope of the Study

From this report we learnt many things. The overall objective of the study is to have an
overview of the existing situation of women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh in line with
their problems and prospects. The study also aimed at exploring recommendations and
suggestions from the respective individuals to address existing problems to promote a
gender-friendly business environment.

1.4 Limitations of the Study

We couldn’t give all the information as there are some restrictions of information
collection policy. We took information from different sources & different reports &
publications. So, reports may vary from time. We also couldn’t explain everything in
details as there was limitation of time.

As the sector is very large, we couldn’t give the goals and strategies in this report. Their
goals and strategy changes from time to time and there may be a large number of
strategies in it.

We couldn’t do survey on a big number of people for the lack of time. As this number is
very large, we might fail to explain about all of their explanation.
 Chapter Two
Methodology of the Study

2.1. Data Collection Techniques

There are different techniques for collecting data. Such as- questionnaire, survey,
observation etc. We have collected data from two types of techniques. They are given
below,

2.1.1. Questionnaire: One of the data collection techniques of this report were
questionnaire. We asked different kinds of questions to the different areas individuals. We
asked questions about the facility they are getting.

2.2. Sources of Data Collection

We collected data from two types of sources. They are explained below:
2.2.1. Primary sources:
1. Research approach for primary data collection:
# Observational approach: Observation is a method of data gathering in which a
qualified individual watches, or walks through, the actual processing associated with a
system
 Best for studying processes.

 Useful for studying the work flow through an office for example

 Could be active or passive

# Survey approach
2. Contacts methods for primary data collection:

• Individual interview: This also called an in-depth interview. The interviewer

begins by asking a general question. The interviewer then encourages the
respondent to talk freely. The interviewer uses an unstructured format, the
subsequent direction of the interview being determined by the respondent’s initial
reply.

3. Research instrument:
• The research instrument was questionnaire.

2.2.2. Secondary sources:

► Internal Secondary Data: data collected within the universities, such as internal
databases of information.

► External Secondary Data: data obtained from outside the university.

# published (data available for free from libraries)

# Databases (collection of inter-related data)
 Chapter Three
Findings and Analysis

Some of the facts we found are detailed below. We have visited some of areas to make
this report and found some factors like advantages or disadvantages they are facing as
they are the most vital issues. They are given below.

3.1 Social Barriers

Because Bangladesh is a patriarchal society, women face an unceasing struggle for
equality—both public and private. Abdul Alim states, “within the household and beyond
it, men exercise control over women’s labor, their sexuality, their choice of spouse, their
access to labor and other markets, and their income and assets through local decision-
making and legal bodies”. Often times, institutions and state legislation support this
gender subordination despite the constitutional affirmations of gender equality.
Researchers also note that entrepreneurial women are still expected to handle a majority
of traditional domestic roles—even if they are married. This tends to create a double-
workload for woman entrepreneurs.

3.2 Financial Barriers

Stemming from the social barriers in Bangladesh, women often face financial and
logistical challenges in business. Most do not have proper information regarding trade
license and company registration, are unable to get access to various facilities of public
and private institutions, and struggle earning loans from the Bangladesh Bank to start
their businesses. The poverty, frequent natural disasters, and population density also make
it difficult for businesses to thrive.
 Table1. Women Entrepreneurship Percentage

3.3 Capacity Building

Even if women obtain the resources to start a business, they often lack the tools— such as
marketing, production and design, finance, bookkeeping, and e-commerce—to maintain
and grow their business.

3.4 Types of Women-Owned Businesses in Bangladesh

 Boutique clothing shops
 Gardening
 Livestock Training
 Fisheries
 Homemade food
 Beauty Parlors
 Tailors
 Carpet businesses
 Printing

3.5 Educational Level

A study conducted by the BWCCI indicates that

 10.9% have post graduation degree

 16.8% are graduates
 26.7% have higher secondary education
 34.7% have secondary school level education
 6.9% have minimum primary education.
 4% of entrepreneurs interviewed have no formal education.
 Table2. Head of Household of Women Entrepreneurs Percentage

3.6 Top Four Motivational Factors Influencing

Bangladeshi Women to Enter Business
 Inspiration from family/family had business
 To create self dependency
 Self Inspiration
 Extra Income for the family

Table3. Percentage of Nature of Ownership of Enterprise

3.7 Women’s Entrepreneurship in Client Survey

 Grocery shop 13.10% May be family business

 Cow rearing 26.19% Mainly part-time

 Tailoring/embroidery 11.8% Man’s or women’s business

 Pottery 11.8% Family or women’s business

 Poultry rearing 10.7% Full/part-time women’s business

 Mat making 9.7% Hindu women

  Rice husking 9.7% Some extreme poor

 Plastic rope making 7.5% Modern family business

 Weaving cotton cloth 6.4% Women’s traditional business

 Bamboo products 6.4% Women’s traditional business

3.8 Bangle Seller (Case 1)

Kancher Churi or flash bangles are a popular fashion adornment of the women and girls
in Bangladesh. Approaching Eid or other festive occasion, the bangle sellers have many
customers. The seller who is usually a woman, carries dozens of these bangles on her
head, calling "Reshmi Churi" as she goes from door to door to sell her wares. But they
can’t get their real value. They earn 100 to 150 taka par day. Some time they earn
nothing. That’s why day by day they move from this business.
 3.9 Rice Husking Woman (Case 2)

A great number of women in Bangladesh rely on rice husk as an important source of fuel.
However, its use is often inefficient, with detrimental effects on the health of the users
and workers involved. They work hard but they don’t get the real payment. That’s why
they suffer lots of problem. These women are playing a very important role in
Bangladeshi economic.

Recommendation

1. Proper implementation of the National Women Development Policy.

 2. Family members should provide help women to enter and run business

3. Education system should have some mechanism to change social attitudes

towards women.

4. Maintain a quota for women entrepreneurs in the project undertaken by

respective ministries and make sure that this quota is maintained properly

5. Government should concentrate on local business development because it

is very import for income and employment generation for a highly populous country

Conclusion

Though it is a sample survey, it has been tried to include a considerable part of the
organized women entrepreneurs from Dhaka City in the study. In this respect, the idea of
organizing workshops in co-operation with the mentioned organizations provides a
unique and surprisingly successful concept. In this way valuable data and information
could be collected, which help understand real problems of the women entrepreneurs of
the country. Besides, time, work and resources could be rationally used, which were very
scarce for such a study like this. It was the experience that none of the studied institutions,
organizations or agencies has actually any serious activity to promote women
entrepreneurship. Besides, the documentation of activities is very unorganized and poor.
So, no serious discussion about their activities in this respect could be presented. Govt.
should take immediate step to improve this sector as soon as possible so that woman in
our country can develop themselves as well as develop the whole economy.

Bibliography
1. Afsar, Dr. Rita, Bringing Women Entrepreneurs in Policy Focus for SME
Development in Bangladesh, A keynote paper presented at the Seminar on Strengthening
Capacity of Women organized by BWCCI, February 26, 2008

2. Hussain, Saiyid Musharraf, Assessment of the Implications of Policies and Measures

for Women Entrepreneurship Development, MOWCA, Dhaka, December 2002

3. Shamim, Munir Uddin, Report on Promoting Women Entrepreneurship through

Advocacy, BWCCI, Dhaka, July 2007

Sample Questionnaires

1. Educational Background_

> Primary > S.S.C > H.S.C > Other

2. Is Your Business provides you better profit comparing with other Public business?_

> Yes > If no then, why?

3. Do you ever get a chance to go for that specific choice which one you preferred?

> Yes > No

4. Do you think it is efficient that you have studied, is well enough to get expected
profit_?

> Yes > If no then, why?

5. Why do you select public/ private?

Reasons:

6. Is there any difference between the male and female entrepreneurship?

> If yes then, why? > No

7. Do you think this increased number of woman in business influence the whole
business situation?

> Yes > If no then, why?

8. What do you think male get better business facilities than female one?

> If yes then, why? > No

9. Do you think Govt. should take more steps for woman entrepreneurship
development?

> Yes > If no then, why?