The number of women workers is increasingly in the industries of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) as employers find women workers are suitable for their industries because of their dedication and sincerity.

Many female workers are also holding leading positions in many renowned factories in the country’s eight industrial enclaves.

Like many other female workers in the Softex Sweater Industries (Private) Limited in the Dhaka EPZ, Shahana Sultana joined 14 years ago as a junior operator and she is holding the position of supervisor . Her dedication and hard working helped her to reach the position in the sweater industry that mainly exports products to European markets.

“Being satisfied with my work, company promoted me as supervisor. Now, my salary is enough for supporting my family,” said Shahna Sultana whose three daughters are also working in Dhaka EPZ.

Similarly, Panna Yeasmin, Senior Manager (Production) of the Lhotse (BD) Limited in Karnaphuli EPZ, said her family was in deep financial crisis and they used to live in extreme trouble. “Without appearing SSC examination, I joined Lhotse (BD) Limited, I had started my job as a helper, then promoted to supervisor,” she added.

Now she is working as a senior manager and her family became solvent due to this job. Her younger sister is studying; elder brother went to abroad with the help of her earning. By this time, she has bought a tiny land and a shop from her savings.

Talking to the news agency, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) General Manager Nazma Binte Alamgir said around 66 percent of the total workers in the country’s eight EPZs are female and they also played an effective role to cross the investment, export and employment targets of BEPZA for the fiscal year 2018-19 (FY19).

“BEPZA has set a milestone in women empowerment. A large number of female workers are working in the EPZs. Of the total 5,16,588 workers in EPZs, around 66 per cent are women,” she added.

She said that every year an increasing number of women are joining the productive workforce of EPZs. “Women from the backward areas are gradually developing their positions in the EPZs as team leaders,” she added.

In a word, Nazma Binte Alamgir said, women working in the EPZs are now in the mainstream of development.

For empowering and employing the unemployed women of the northern part of Bangladesh, she said, a project was initiated with the help of World Bank called ‘Northern Areas Reduction of Poverty Initiative Project (NARI)’.

A total of eight EPZs are being operated across the country. Those are Chittagong EPZ, Dhaka EPZ, Mongla EPZ, Ishwardi EPZ, Comilla EPZ, Uttara EPZ, Adamjee EPZ and Karnaphuli EPZ.