Business is not a man’s domain: Selima

This article appeared in The Telegraph

Business is not a man’s domain: Selima
Passing Through / Selima Ahmad

The lady means business. Elegant, poised and confident, Selima Ahmad, founder of Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a non-profit organisation set up to bring about women’s economic development and empowerment, is a trendsetter. Draped in a crisp kantha saree, Ahmad says in her typical no-nonsense fashion, “We are here to do business. We are open to any kind of new ideas and business proposals.”

On her first visit to the city to take part in the 11th edition of the Guwahati International Trade Fair, Ahmad is optimistic. She says, “We will talk only of positive things and explore ways in which we can strengthen business relations with the region. We should work on the basis of comparative advantage rather than competitive advantage.” She adds, “With growing globalisation, the West is coming to the East. We are on a mission to strengthen ties with our neighbours.”

Ahmad got into the business of manufacturing artificial silk flowers at the age of 18. She completed her masters in business management from Dhaka University. “In Bangladesh, women are very active. Our government policies are very women-friendly. The work done by the Bangladesh Gramin Bank to strengthen the role of women in the micro-credit sector is particularly commendable,” she says.

The sight of the mighty Brahmaputra makes her feel that things could take a revolutionary turn for both countries if river transport was opened up. “Brahmaputra flows through our country, too, and could link both countries,” she says.

She was initially very apprehensive about coming to Guwahati. “I heard a lot of negative things about the region. But you do not get to know the reality unless you visit a place personally. I am overwhelmed by the hospitality of the people here,” she says. During her brief sojourn to the city, she visited and was enchanted by the ambience of Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra. “It is a beautiful place, which reflects the contours and colours of the cultural heritage of the region,” she says.

Set up in June 2001, the Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry is among the two business chambers for women in the world, the other one being in Sri Lanka. A smiling Ahmad says, “We felt the need for a separate platform for women entrepreneurs.”

The chamber now has 220 members, 10 non-governmental organisations and over 10,000 micro-level women entrepreneurs working in tandem. “Our main objective is to provide support to women entrepreneurs to undertake business and trade activities. We are like an incubator nurturing the business skills of the budding women entrepreneurs,” she points out, adding that they have been providing valuable support to members in terms of training, market access, access to finance, networking, business awareness and capacity building.

The chamber is a strong community voice, lobbying for micro and macro-level women entrepreneurs and providing services and benefits to support the growth of its members. “We serve all kinds of business with a special focus on small rural women entrepreneurs,” she says.
“Our members are not confined to the traditional women-dominated sectors. We have women involved in the information technology sector, media and items made of recycled glass and metals,” says Ahmad.

Discovering a common thread with the women in the region, Ahmad says she was recently in Rajasthan for a counselling session with rural women. “I was astonished by the similarity. All these women have the same problems, dreams, commitments, hopes and aspirations.”
Asserting that business is not a man’s domain, she feels, “It is the mindset of a few disadvantaged people. In fact, it is a very good career option for women as they can find time for their family.”

She sees a bright future for Indo-Bangla ties in five years. “I can feel the pulse. We will have to implement policies, which are conducive to trade and commerce,” she says. Lauding the efforts of the trade fair authorities, she says, “We need to organise more such trade fairs, which can serve as a platform to showcase each other’s products and explore the market. I believe in business and not in unnecessary formalities.” She is also hoping to participate in the trade fair at Shillong, which will be held soon. “We need to know more about each other. This can only be done with a open mind and heart,” she says.

Teresa Rehman