Leading women business leaders and entrepreneurs yesterday underscored the need for full inclusion of women in the country’s fast-paced development to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-5 related to gender equality and women empowerment.

They said Bangladesh has made huge success in achieving women empowerment over the last couple of decades, even though more government support is needed to establish a gender-equal society. The Bangladesh Chapter of Entrepreneur Organisation (EO), the world’s largest peer-to-peer global network of entrepreneurs, organised the summit titled “She Rokers MyEO Women Summit” and “She Rockers MyEO Women SDG Award 2019” at a city hotel.

Foreign minister Dr AK

Abdul Momen inaugurated the summit as chief guest, while EO global  Rosemarie Bubu Andres was the guest of honour. EO Bangladesh Chapter president Farzana Chowdhury gave the welcome speech. Abdul Momen said Bangladesh is becoming a role model for women empowerment around the world under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as women here now hold top positions in every sphere of national and social life.

The foreign minister described various wide-ranging measures taken by the government to ensure the holistic empowerment of women. He said the government has introduced a gender budget, which is unique in the world. “Women’s empowerment is one of the ten special initiatives undertaken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She oversees the progress of this initiative herself,” he added.

EO Bangladesh has been striving to provide a platform for women entrepreneurship, which is quite aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision, the minister observed.

Lauding the achievement of Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs, Bubu Andres said Bangladeshi women are largely helping the country to keep on the rigth track of development.