The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (FBCCI) is working to reduce gender inequality in the workplace and supporting the economic empowerment of women, said its acting President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury on Wednesday.

He said this while having a meeting with the IFC delegation at the FBCCI office, said a press release.

Women have come a long way in Bangladesh, but the destination of gender equality and economic empowerment is still far. Under the committed and visionary leadership of our Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh, I am confident that Bangladeshi women will continue to be successful in every area in the next decade and beyond – and FBCCI on behalf of the private sector is always ready to support this journey, said Mostofa.

Creating an enabling environment for women to get gainful employment will help Bangladesh achieve its growth aspirations. Making public spaces safe for women will be critical to enabling their full participation in the economy, he added.

The government’s successive Five Year Plans emphasized gender equality and sought to promote women’s entrepreneurship and participation in regional and international trade. As a result of this long walk towards equality, many women are benefiting from an environment that enables business startups and greater access to a digital economy, he also said.

IFC Bangladesh is currently designing private sector engagement on advancing women’s employment in Bangladesh including workplace, gender, climate, job, among others, said IFC representative Shabnam Hameed.

FBCCI Director Hafez Harun, Naaz Farhana Ahmed, Priti Chakraborty, Dr Nadia Binte Amin, Abu Hossain Bhuiyan (Ranu), and Program Coordinator of Gender and Economic Inclusion of the IFC Zareen Tasnim were present at the meeting, among others, the release added.