Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar highlighted the significance of supporting environmentally sustainable businesses and stressed the need for more funding for women entrepreneurs to address climate risks.
Speaking as the chief guest at the seminar "Voices for Change: Putting Climate Action, Women Entrepreneurs, and SMEs in Bangladeshi Public Policy" at the capital's Lakeshore Hotel, she made these statements.
The advisor advocated using resources from international government-level risk management funds to give priority to business owners who manage their companies in a climate-conscious manner.
Akhtar emphasised that boosting women's entrepreneurship should prioritise improving their visibility and influence in addition to increasing their numbers.
She pointed out that although organisations like the SME Foundation and Bangladesh Bank offer assistance, there are still not enough opportunities for women, who account for 51% of the population.
She emphasised that between 50 and 60 per cent of jobs created by small and medium-sized businesses benefit women.
She went on to praise women's demonstrated financial discipline and call for greater credit support, saying that "a woman entrepreneur provides employment opportunities to several other women."
Akhtar also highlighted the threat that climate change poses on a daily basis, citing Bangladesh as one of the seven most vulnerable nations in spite of its low carbon emissions.
As the leader of Bangladesh's delegation to COP-30 in Belem, Brazil, she talked about how women's perspectives were frequently ignored during climate talks.
In response to environmental concerns regarding agriculture and livestock, she pointed out that, in contrast to the high emissions of industrialised nations, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is working to lower methane emissions through better livestock diets.
She also cautioned that the fishing industry is one of the most severely impacted by climate change, pointing to the emergence of oxygen-deficient sea zones and diminishing Hilsa stocks.
By highlighting their role in creating a climate-resilient economy and promoting sustainable policy support, the seminar urged women entrepreneurs and SMEs to actively participate in climate action.
In order to accomplish the goals of growth, employment, and sustainable development, participants urged cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Nasreen Fatema Awal, president of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh, presided over the event, which was attended by Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation Baiba Zarina, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Chairman Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, and Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Md. Rafiqul Islam.
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