Girls Can Tech
Fazle Rabbi Khan
Najiba Wajiha Mahboob runs a website for travellers where anyone can access all sorts of information about Bangladesh.
Through my website, travellingbd.com, people can get different information that will help them with their travels. Visitors, both local and foreign, will get info about the place where they want to go, which transport they should take, where they can stay and everything else about the place, Najiba told YI at a recent gathering of women tech experts in the capital.
The event, Girls Can Tech: Breaking barriers in the digital world, provided a platform for young female engineers and coders, students and techies to network with ICT (information, communication and technology) companies and tech initiatives run by women, who are leading the way despite socio-economic barriers and challenges.
About 50 young women tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs participated in the daylong programme, held on January 30 at the EMK Centre in Dhanmondi.
Subarna Chowdhury, who works as a senior software engineer at IMS Health Bangladesh Ltd, a software company, said: I came to this event for two reasons _ for networking and sharing ideas. Different women who are involved with ICT are here today. As you know, this sector is very huge and women are working in various fields. So, talking to them I can learn about the different areas.
This is a good initiative, because different women have come together here _ some are working and others are even entrepreneurs in the ICT sector. Through this event, the door of networking has opened for us. We are talking with each other, sharing our problems and also trying to give suggestions to solve different problems as well, said Najiba, a graduate in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) from North South University
I have a plan for a startup company. So, this event will help me to generate ideas and know more about which area of technology is needed in the market, said Subarna, also a CSE graduate from BUET.
Amena Islam, convener of BASIS Students Forum and an ambassador of Mozilla Community at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), said: I want to do something for girls and women in the ICT sector. When I was at university, I was involved with different tech-related events and activities. During that time, I recognised that girls are a bit more shy than boys when it comes to technology. But when it is possible to introduce technology properly to girls, they love it.
This is a great initiative. Through this event, I am developing my ideas for my future goal. I have a plan that to form a platform, from which girls will be able to learn the basics of ICT. As a result, their confusion and fear of technology will diminish and they will be able to do well in their careers, added Amena, who has a CSE degree from ULAB.
The EMK Centre, along with Bangladesh Women in Technology and Maya.com.bd, a web portal for women, arranged the event to showcase the groundbreaking work women are achieving in the field of technology, from home-based freelance work to running social solution based start-ups in Bangladesh.
