In Bangladesh, women have long been underrepresented in entrepreneurship. But amid all the tragedies of the Covid pandemic, there has been one positive side-effect -- a steady rise in the share of female digital entrepreneurs in the country's startup ecosystem. UNB brings to its readers the journeys of some of these dynamic Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs who are charting unknown territories fearlessly.
Stories of some successful online female entrepreneurs in Bangladesh
Meet Zannatul Fardous Nayan, a small-town girl who is scripting her own success story in today's new age world. Zannatul moved to Dhaka from Dinajpur some years back to pursue higher studies in architecture after successfully completing a diploma in her chosen field of study.
Read: 'Women entrepreneurs get less than 4% of MSME loans'
Right from the day she took admission to a private university in Dhaka, she had been scouting ways to fund her own studies. With Tk 5,000 in hand, she finally embarked on her entrepreneurship journey by floating an online boutique -- basically, a Facebook page titled 'Artist Fashion'.
“Being government servants, my parents were not at all happy with my decision to start a business. They wanted me to find a government job," Zannatul says. Though she started as a sapling, her dedication soon helped her bloom in the world of female entrepreneurs. "I own a boutique house in Mirpur and earn two to three lakh taka a month," she adds.
Read Popular Facebook Pages to Buy Ladies Wear Online
Aysha Siddika Lima is another female digital entrepreneur who has hit the right spot to succeed. An engineering graduate, Aysha started her entrepreneurship journey by setting up 'Baby’s and Ladies Point' to sell a range of baby apparel. "My family never wanted me to start such a non-glamorous business. But I have withstood the family pressure to thrive as the best."
"Business means freedom, which also eases the struggle of life. Now, I make a profit of around Tk 45,000 a month. My mantra -- consistency is the key to success," says Aysha.
Also read: 24pc of female online entrepreneurs shut businesses in June: Study
Another woman entrepreneur, Taposhi Monira has also survived against odds in the past. "I started my online gift store, 'Urban Touch Bd'. Initially many people used to make fun of me. Now, I have achieved some success and currently make Tk 50,000 a month."
FA Irin is another proud online woman entrepreneur. "I always dreamt of becoming financially independent. But my family never supported me. By dint of hard work, I have proved that nothing is impossible even in a male-dominated society."
Also read: Tk 1,100 cr seed money sought for small entrepreneurs
Kanny Goms started an online shop -- Dyna Creation, named after her daughter. "I started with just Tk 8,500 and took a few baby steps at a time to progress. My lovely daughter has been my inspiration," she says.
To sum up, all these Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs have survived against odds in the past, but society has started to accept that these new crops of entrepreneurs do contribute greatly to a country’s economy and has the ability to influence a generation.
Read Online Eid Shopping in Bangladesh for Men, Women, and Children.