Around 40 percent of the 70,000 people working in the BPO sector are now women. Bangladesh Association of Contact Centers and Outsourcing (BACCO) aims to increase this share to 50 percent by 2025. With that goal, the organization celebrated “International Women’s Day 2024” on Saturday, March 9, 2024 in the afternoon by singing the national anthem and cutting a cake. In addition to two panel discussions, 10 women workers who have been working in ICT for a long time were honored in this Women’s Day event.
While delivering his opening speech at the “Celebrating Women’s Achievements in BPO” event at the Gulshan Club in the capital, the BACCO Senior Vice President Md. Abul Khair said that the role of women is important in the development of the current socio-economic condition of Bangladesh. In such a reality, ensuring the equal participation of every man and woman is not only necessary but essential today. A beautiful future we all have to work shoulder to shoulder.
Participating in the panel discussion, Member of Parliament Aroma Dutta said that Bangladesh has already become a role model in the world in the progress of women in social indicators. Economic empowerment of women is important in this regard. In this regard, grassroots women of the country have contributed the most.
Zara Jabeen Mahbub, Chief Executive Officer of Dun & Bradstreet Data and Analytics Private Limited and Member of Parliament, said, I am fortunate from both the family and the environment. I have reached this position today with the benefit of joint family. But every woman should have a desire to move forward from her heart. Feminist mentality is considered negative but it is a positive force.
Moderated by BACCO Youth Sub Committee Chairman Saima Shawkat, the USAID Head of Education and Youth Department Sonjae Reynolds Cooper, British High Commission First Secretary (Political) Doyne Adele spoke among others.
Among them, Doyne emphasized on improving the education and skills of girls in the context of work and lifestyle. She said, more the education women will achieve, the more they will participate in the workplace and improve the quality of life.
Sonjae Reynolds Cooper said, the way BACCO is doing to maintain international interest is commendable. However, this practice needs to be strengthened.
The founder and managing director of Organic Care Dr. Maliha Mannan said, “We are not getting complete health data as dis-aggregated data is not stored while collecting data collected from community clinics. Data collection and analysis need to be done by knowing the trends.”
President of Bangladesh Freelancer Development Society Dr. Tanjiba Rahman said, besides education, women should give themselves more time for skill development. We should move forward with the global market in mind beyond the country’s boundaries. As a woman holds another human being within herself, she needs to use the full power she has.
Chairman and Managing Director of Novo Invicta Specialized Healthcare Limited Dr. Zareen Delwar Hussain said, success requires a change in mentality. You must believe in yourself that you can. And every woman has to achieve this super power of self-empowerment.
The panel discussion moderated by Emrajina Islam, founder of Emrajina Technologies. In the panel discussion, Asia Neela, founder and chief executive officer of Women in Digital, said that, a lady has to come out of the mindset of being a girl. Not supported by father, brother or husband; You have to develop in your own strength. First of all, you have to think of yourself as a human being.
Lafifa Jamal, chairman of robotics and mechatronics engineering department of Dhaka University, said that the ICT career is different from all other professions with a large number of women graduating in information technology from the university. I initially worked in data mining in an organization in USA based in Dhaka. In these cases, work environment and family support are essential. Higher degrees in ICT increased from 15 percent to 45 percent. The job entry rate rose from 2 percent to 15 percent.
Bangladesh ICT Journalist Forum president Nazneen Nahar said in response to the question of women’s participation in the top positions of journalism, in 2002 I was the only journalist in information technology, but now there are 6. This number is not increasing in women journalism in the media due to the fear of the safety of the working environment. However, the presentation has increased. However, according to the World Economic Forum, Bangladesh is now seventh in the world and first in South Asia in women’s participation in politics. It is certainly a matter to be proud of.
In the discussion, many important issues like the progress of women in the field of information technology, success stories, work environment, ways to overcome various obstacles come up. As a result, “Certificate of Excellence” was awarded. The awardees are: Rezwana Zafar, Lead International Strategic Business of ADN Technologies; Fahima Sultana Chaiti, HR Manager of Arena Phone BD Limited; Sanjana Tazrin, Chairperson of Scopa Technologies Limited; Jannatul Ferdousi Barna, Assistant Manager of Info Titan Limited; Senior Manager (Finance & Accounts) of EG Group Raihan Binte Quader; Assistant Manager My Outsourcing Limited, Afroza Tazrin Lubna; Program Manager, Service Engine BPO, Rashida Akhter Ruma;Program Manager, Service Engine BPO, Rabeya Akhter Rimi; Finance Manager, Virgo Contact Center Services Limited Tasmeem Islam and Farzana Biswas, Head of Quality Manager, Creative IT Institute.
At the conclusion of the program, BACCO General Secretary, Touhid Hossain said, “In this era of the fourth industrial revolution, there is no chance for women to fall behind. We will work together to build the Smart Bangladesh of Hon’ble Prime Minister by establishing women’s rights and ensuring women’s equal participation”.
Finance Secretary Md Aminul Haque, Director Fazlul Haque and Director Musnad E Ahmed were present on behalf of the BACCO Executive Committee.
ASK Telecom was the title sponsor of the event. Also, Platinum Sponsor was ASL BPO, Gold Sponsor was Loginex and Silver Sponsors were Infosystem Technology Limited, Digicon Technologies Limited and Fifotech.