Women's Contribution to Trade in Bangladesh and Challenges in Post-COVID-19 Era

Abstract

New trends in global trade including rise in services, global value chains, and the digital economy are opening up important economic opportunities for women. Trade has the potential to expand women's role in the economy, decrease inequality, and expand women's access to skills and education. Trade can dramatically improve women's lives, creating new jobs, enhancing consumer choice, and increasing women's bargaining power in society. In Bangladesh economy, the women led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a noteworthy role by providing services and goods, creating employment generation particularly for women (UN Women, 2020). According to an ILO report, the majority of female-owned SMEs in Bangladesh are involved in the trading sector, followed by the manufacturing and service sectors (Fatima, 2023). This chapter is based on the case studies on 50 women entrepreneurs in various levels in Bangladesh and 10 key informant interviews of government officials, business associations, academics, researcher, microcredit organizations. This is encouraging that due to government's women friendly policies and organizational supports along with better networking through social media in Bangladesh, more and more women of various backgrounds in Bangladesh are coming to business though still concentrated on few traditional areas but they are making space for themselves and creating employment for poorest segment of women and educated young women.

Citation

Akhter, S. and Mazumdar, D. (2024), "Women's Contribution to Trade in Bangladesh and Challenges in Post-COVID-19 Era", Bhattacharyya, R. and Mazumdar, D. (Ed.) Contemporary Issues in International Trade, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 249-261. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-320-020241016