FEMALES are roughly half the population of Bangladesh. The numerical strength of the female population should point towards the indispensability of utilising their full potentials for economic growth and development. Keeping such a vast number in the population limited to the role of homemakers or reproduction and rearing of children only, means keeping half of the population away from gainful economic activities. All nations in the modern times that have climbed up the economic ladder made full use of the productive capacities of their entire working population regardless of gender. Optimum production of goods and services on which depend economic prosperity and well-being of the people as a whole, cannot be achieved where a very great number in the population are confined to non-paying traditional chores in the households. But cultural and religious factors have tended to force such unwelcome restraints on the females in Bangladesh. It is a heartening sign, though, that such an ossified outlook about women's role is starting to change.

In this backdrop, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed has befittingly underscored the need for extending all possible supports by the commercial banks and financial institutions in order to promote women entrepreneurship, particularly in small and medium enterprises. Inaugurating a day-long National Women Entrepreneurs Conference 2008 last Wednesday in the capital city, he spelt out a four-point programme aimed at creating a fair and sustainable operational credit system in support of women entrepreneurs in the SME sector. The programme includes lowering the existing rate of interest on credits, setting up SME unit or desk in commercial banks, simplifying loan disbursement system and creating SME-friendly tax, duty and VAT structure. The concerned authorities do need to implement such measures in earnest sooner than later to help strengthen efforts for women's empowerment which is also an important objective of national poverty strategy.

Women in significant number are now seeking employment outside the bounds of their homes in nearly all fields. A notable rise in this increasing participation of women in economic activities is the rate of their successes in different fields of enterprise. Non government organisations (NGOs) have been particularly successful in rousing and helping rural women to come forward to set up dairies, poultries, vegetable farming, small scale trading and other non-farm enterprises. The NGOs have replicated their rural experience also in the urban areas and helped the establishment of enterprises run with female manpower. These developments have been contributing notably to the net of output in terms of goods and services in different areas while enabling the women entrepreneurs and workers to become more and more resourceful and climb out of the trap of poverty. Now a more pro-active role by the commercial banks, financial institutions and National Board of Revenue, as has been emphasised by the Chief Adviser, will certainly go a long way towards fulfilling one prime objective of national poverty strategy.

The greatest benefit of women's empowerment through their direct participation in income-generating and wealth-creating activities can certainly come from helping out females in the rural areas where they are located in the greatest number. Various supportive policies of the government, in tandem with the efforts of the banks and financial institutions, should, therefore, be coordinated to facilitate the economic empowerment, particularly of rural women in the highest number. The city based women entrepreneurs should also be the beneficiary of such policies and measures. Some businesses run by women in Dhaka and the other cities by women of upper and middle class origin, are doing exceptionally well. This shows the great possibilities of the country's educated female entrepreneurs coming from the higher classes. Given more supports through fiscal policies and in areas of institutional credit, this group may achieve wonders in different fields of enterprise creating opportunities for large scale employment and earnings of workers of their own gender.