Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI)

Completed event report of BWCCI from 1st April to 15th May 2017

1. Program /Event:

Rural Women Entrepreneurship skill Development Training Program (Upazilla Level)

3330 women entrepreneurs participated in a three day training program

titled "Training on Business Selection focusing Livelihood and

Technology" , organized by BWCCI under its Rural Women

Entrepreneurs Skills Development Training Program from 12 March to

1st April 2017 in cooperation with the Ministry of Women and Children

Affairs (MOWCA)

Ms. Shaheen Ahmed Chowdhury, Director General, Department of

Women Affairs (Additional Secretary, MOWCA), Mr. Mizanur

Rahman, Additional Secretary MOWCA, Ms. Sha Nawaz Dilruba Khan,

Additional Director, Department of Women Affairs (Deputy Secretary),

Ms. Farhana Akhter, Program Director, Rural Women Entrepreneurs

Skill development Training Program, local MPs and BWCCI officials

visited the training sessions at different Upazilas.

The inaugural ceremony of the 1st batch ToT was inaugurated by Ms.

Shaheen Ahmed Chowdhury, as chief guest and 2nd batch ToT was

inaugurated by Ms. Sha Nawaz Dilruba Khan, as chief guest. Ms.

Farhana Akhter, and BWCCI officials were present.

2. Program /Event: "Boishakhi Mela 2017"

3. Program /Event:Fairs at Upazila level by BWCCI's members

("Bostro ebong kutir shilpo ponno mela")

Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(BWCCI) organized 26 fairs for 3 days entitled "Bostro

ebong kutir shilpo ponno mela" under Rural Women

Entrepreneurs Skills Development Training Program (Sub-

district level) from 1st April to 14 April 2017 respectively

at 26 Districts/ Upazilas of Bangladesh in cooperation with

Department of Women Affairs, Ministry of Women and

Children Affairs (MOWCA). 520 women entrepreneurs

who had received the "Training on Business Selection

focusing Livelihood and Technology" participated in these fair with their diversified products.

Local MP, Mayor, DC, ADC, UNO, Upazila Chairman,

Vice Chairman, Officers from Upazila Department of

Women Affairs and District/ Upazila representatives of

BWCCI inaugurated and visited the fairs at different

venues.

BWCCI organized a two day fair for

women entrepreneurs entitled "Boishakhi

Mela 2017" from 9 to 10 April 2017 at

Nitol Niloy Center, Mohakhali, Dhaka

4. Program /Event:

“Pre- Budget discussion meeting-2017-2018 " with NBR

5. Program /Event: Training on Fashion Designing at Rangamati in cooperation with

SME Foundation

BWCCI organized a five day Training

on "Fashion Designing" at Rangamati

from16-20 April 2017 in cooperation

with SME Foundation. Thirty women

entrepreneurs participated in the

training.

A delegation of 5 members from Bangladesh Women Chamber

of Commerce & Industry (BWCCI) led by its President Selima

Ahmad along with Senior Vice President. Sangita Ahmed, Vice

President. Selina Quader and two other Board Directors

attended the “Pre- Budget discussion meeting" at NBR on 17

April 2017 and submitted proposals for upcoming national

budget 2017-2018 organized by NBR. BWCCI put some

significant proposals to reflect in the upcoming national budget

such as: raising tax limit up to 4 lac per annum for women

entrepreneurs, two years tax holiday for start up businesses ,

single digit VAT for basic needs like food, clothing and shelter

sectors, special rates for handicrafts and artisan sectors, a tax

booklet with simple explanations for women.

6. Program /Event: Bostro O Kutir Shilpo Ponno Mela"at Gazipur, Dhaka

7. Program /Event: Training on Entrepreneurship Development under B-Skilfull

project in cooperation with Swiss Contact at Dinajpur

Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry

(BWCCI) organized a fair for 3 days entitled "Bostro O Kutir

Shilpo Ponno Mela" under Rural Women Entrepreneurs Skills

Development Training Program (Sub-district level) at 28 April

2017. Ms. Meher Afroz Chumki, MP, Honorable State

Minister, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MOWCA)

graced the occasion as Chief Guest and inaugurated the fair.

Ms. Shaheen Ahmed Chowdhury, Director General, Mr. AKM

Mizanur Rahman, Director, Department of Women Affairs,.

Selina Quader, Vice President, BWCCI and Mr. Moazzem

Hussain Palash, Vice Chairman, Kaliganj were present there as

special guests respectively. Mr. Khandakar Md. Mushfiqur

Rahman, UNO, Kaliganj chaired the inaugural ceremony of the

fair. Besides,. Shahana Jefreen, Director BWCCI, Ms Farhana

Akhter, Program Director, Rural Women Entrepreneurs Skill

development Training Program, local leaders, BWCCI

members, women entrepreneurs, journalists from print and

electronic media and Senior Officials from the BWCCI were

present at the ceremony.

Honorable State Minister, Ministry of Women and Children

Affairs (MOWCA) praised the event and said that women will

be more empowered economically through such initiatives

which will ultimately help fulfill Vision 2021.

BWCCIorganized a two day training for

graduate enterpreneurs on

entrepreneurship development under B-

Skilfull project in cooperation with Swiss

Contact at Dinajpur on 6-7 May 2017.

Thirteen women and seven men

participated in the training.

8. Program /Event: Australian Awards Fellowship program 2017

9. Program /Event: Workshop on Financial Linkage at Dinajpur under B-Skilfull

project in cooperation with Swiss Contact

Shahana Jefreen, Director and Shamima Yasmin, member

BWCCI have been selected for the fellowship program

entitled " Empowering Women Through Entrepreneurship

and Business Innovation in Bangladesh, Nepal and

Srilanka" by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

Australian Government and they have joined the program

from 7 to 28 May 2017.

BWCCI organized a daylong workshop on Financial Linkage

between entrepreneurs and Financial Institutions under B-Skilfull

project in cooperation with Swiss Contact at Dinajpur on 8th

May2017.

Mr. Mir Khairul Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Dinajpur

district graced the event as Chief guest and Mr. Aminur Rahman,

Deputy General Manager, Bangladesh Bank, Rangpur was the

chief speaker in the workshop.

10. Program /Event: Europe Day Celebration

11. Program /Event:Workshop on Labour Rights and Decent Work at Dinajpur

under B-Skilfull project in cooperation with Swiss Contact

Two women entrepreneurs from BWCCI had

participated in the fair named "Craft Bazar-

Europe Day-2017" on 9th May 2017 at the Le

Meridian Hotel with their jute and clay crafts.

Ms. Selima Ahmad, President of BWCCI

attended the event.

Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry

organized a daylong workshop on Labour Rights and Decent

Work at Dinajpur on 9th May 2017 under B-Skilfull project

in cooperation with Swiss Contact. The objective of the

workshop was to raise the awareness amongst entrepreneurs

and informal sector enterprises on issues of Labour Rights

and Decent Work by increasing their access to labour

market and income, safeguarding their fundamental rights at

work place.

Md. Humayun Kabir Reza Faruque Chowdhury Shamim,

President of Dinajpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry

was present as Chief guest at the event.