VISUALIZING STRUGGLES AND STRATEGIES FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN BANGLADESH

Authors: Md. Sabbir Hossain & Dr. Md. Motahar Hossain

ABSTRACT

Women entrepreneurs are becoming more and more common in Bangladesh and many other developing countries. Finding the primary barriers preventing Bangladeshi women-owned enterprises from running efficiently is the aim of this study. Data from both primary and secondary sources were used in the inquiry. In addition to the elements that contribute to their success, the poll inquired about the personal, managerial, manufacturing, financial, marketing, and government assistance challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. By addressing the intricate problems identified, this study aims to stimulate more participation in the digital economy and promote sustainable development while also assisting women’s economic empowerment in Bangladesh. In addition to offering some useful suggestions for improving government policy support for the development of women entrepreneurs, this study offers some insightful academic viewpoints. The local community, civil society, government, non-governmental organizations, and academics may find this statistics helpful in formulating plans and regulations that will encourage the growth of women-owned enterprises in Bangladesh.

Keywords: Women Empowerment, Barriers, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Bangladesh.

REFERENCES

  • Afrin, S., Hoque, M. S., & Akter, B. (2024). Women’s Leadership Development Through Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. Management and Labour Studies, 49(2), 208-240.
  • Afsar, M., & Rahman, M. M. (2022). Women Entrepreneurship Development in Bangladesh: An Overview of Barriers and Challenges. EBAUB Journal, 4, 82-89.
  • Akhter, A., Ali, M. J., Tanchi, K. R., Latif, W. B., & Karim, M. M. (2023). Determinants of women’s entrepreneurial performance: Evidence from Bangladesh. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 21(1), 302-311. http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.21(1).2023.26
  • Akter, A., Choudhury, F. H., Bagum, T., Islam, M. M., & Hasan, R. (2024). Socio-economic impact  of  entrepreneurship  activities  for  the  empowerment  of  women  in Bangladesh. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(2), 935-953. DOI:10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i2/20847
  • Akter, M., Gafur, I., & Al Hossien, M. (2024). A Comprehensive Review of Challenges and Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs in the field of Tourism Industry in Bangladesh. European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, 2(1), 566-573. https://doi.org/10.59324/ejtas.2024.2(1).49
  • Akter, S (2024). Women Entrepreneurship Development In Bangladesh: Problems And Prospects. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 26(3), 65-73. DOI: 10.9790/487X- 260304657
  • Al-amin, S., Rony, A. K., & Rahman, S. S. (2024). Impact of women entrepreneurship on digital entrepreneurship: a focus on women’s participation in bangladesh. Jilin Daxue Xuebao (Gongxueban)/Journal of Jilin University (Engineering and Technology Edition), 43(10), 137-150. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.13969563
  • Ali, M. M., (2018). Determinants of Entrepreneurial Economics in Bangladesh: An investigation. Bangladesh Journal of Political Economy, 34(2), 437-482. https://bea- bd.org/assets/articlesPhoto/Page_20230215133117.pdf
  • Ani, J. (2023). Influence of education of women entrepreneurs on the problems faced by them in micro enterprises. EPRA International Journal of Research and Development, 8(2), 299-302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36713/epra12544
  • Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Bangladesh Economic Census 2013. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Statistics and Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning.
  • Chowdhury, F. S., & Munira, S. (2023). Women in Enterprise-Issues, Problems and Prospects. Academic Journal on Arts & Humanities Education, 3(3), 13-19. https://www.allacademicresearch.com/index.php/AJAHE/article/view/52
  • Das, S., & Rana, M. M. (2022). Diffusion of Women Entrepreneurship in Bangladesh: Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities. NDUB Journal of Business Studies, 1(1), 83-110
  • Debnath, D., Rahman, M. S., Acharjee, D. C., Latif, W. U., & Wang, L. (2019). Empowering women through microcredit in Bangladesh: An empirical study. International Journal of Financial Studies, 7(3), 37. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijfs703003
  • Filion, L. J., & Dana Léo-Paul. ( 2008). Defining the entrepreneur : complexity and multi – dimensional systems : some reflections . Montréal: HEC Montréal , Chairedentrepreneuriat Rogers – J.-A.-Bombardier.
  • Gafur, I., & Islam, R. (2024). Performance of Female Entrepreneurs: An Organized Assessment of the Literature Addressing the Factors Affecting Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneurs’ Performance. European Journal of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, 2(3), 215-224. https://doi.org/10.59324/ejtas.2024.2(3).18
  • Ghosh, M. K., Hasan, S. S., Fariha, R., Bari, M. O., & Parvin, M. A. (2021). Women empowerment through agriculture in Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh. European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 3(1), 153-160. DOI: 10.24018/ejfood.2021.3.1.235
  • Haque, B. G. M. F. U. (2014). A study on the development of entrepreneurship and its influence on the poverty alleviation in Bangladesh. NDC E-JOURNAL, 13(2), 19-28.
  • Hossain, D. M. (2006). A literature survey on entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in Bangladesh. Southeast University Journal of Business Studies, 2(1). https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1261829
  • Hossain, S. M., Akbar, A., Tehseen, S., Poulova, P., Haider, S. A., Sheraz, F., & Yasmin, F. (2021). Evaluation of entrepreneur’s success: a special reference to women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 27, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.55677/CRAJ/04-2025-Vol02I01
  • Islam, M. A., & Kibria, M. M. H. Prospects and Barriers in Entrepreneurship Development in Greater Sylhet of Bangladesh-A Framework. International Journal of SME Development, 5, 57- 78.
  • Islam, M. A., Jantan, A. H., Hunt, A., Rahman, Md. F., Abdullah, M.M. 2019. Exploration of barriers faced by female graduate entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(2), 1000- 1014. http://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2019.7.2(15)
  • Jeni, F. A., Das, S., & Nargis, K. A. (2021). The economic and socio-cultural factors affecting performance of women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: An exploratory study on Cumilla City. International Journal of Social Science And Human Research, 4(12), 3610-3620. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v4-i12-21
  • Khanka, S.S. (1999), Entrepreneurial Development, 1st edition, S. Chand & Company Ltd., India.
  • Lipy, N. S., Hasan, M. M., & Rahman, M. H. (2021). Factors of Women Entrepreneurs’ success in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bangladesh. International Fellowship Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 1(2), 127-138. DOI: 10.12345/ 10.5281/zenodo.4728227
  • Lubna, N. A., & Parvin, M. (2017). Women entrepreneurship development in Bangladesh: a descriptive study on challenges and prospects. Society and Change, 11(4), 33-43.
  • Mamun, M. Z., & Haq, M. R. (2023). Urban Women Entrepreneurship Development in Bangladesh: Challenges and Preparations. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 7(7), 129-149. https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2023.70709
  • Ministry of Commerce. (2018, December). Bangladesh Regional Connectivity Project. Dhaka, Bangladesh: Ministry of Commerce.
  • Morshed, F., & Haque, E. (2015). Impact of women entrepreneurship on women empowerment in Bangladesh. Journal of Economics and sustainable development, 6(1), 74-81.
  • Mridha, M. R., Sara, S. S., Hossain, M. M., Haque, M. M., & Islam, N. (2025). Challenges and Prospects of Young Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Bangladesh: A Study on Socio-Cultural Perspective. Contemporary Research Analysis Journal, 2(1), 21-32
  • Mukit, M. M. H., Nabila, N. J., Islam, M. S., & Abdel-Razzaq, A. I. (2020). Valuing women entrepreneurship in the informal economy in Bangladesh. Economics, 8(2), 37-54. doi: 10.2478/eoik-2020-0020
  • Oridi, F. I., Uddin, M. S., Faisal-E-Alam, M., & Husain, T. (2022). Prevailing factors of rural women entrepreneurship in Bangladesh: evidence from handicraft business. Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, 12(1), 305-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40497-022-00327-z
  • Paul, G. K., Sarkar, D. C., & Naznin, S. (2016). Present situation of women empowerment in Bangladesh. International Journal of Mathematics and Statistics Invention, 4(8), 31-38. https://ijmsi.org/Papers/Volume.4.Issue.8/H040803138.pdf
  • Poli, T. A. (2024). Mediating role of entrepreneurship capability in sustainable performance and women entrepreneurship: an evidence from a developing country. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(3), 2006-2019. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i3.3553
  • Sarkar, P. R. (2024). From challenges to opportunities: women entrepreneurs in bangladesh and their path forward. International Journal of Small and Medium Enterprises, 7(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijsmes.v7i1.2264
  • Sobhan, N., & Hassan, A. (2024). The effect of institutional environment on entrepreneurship in emerging economies: female entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 16(1), 12-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-01-2023-0028
  • Tabassum, M., Begum, N., Rana, M. S., Faruk, M. O., & Miah, M. M. (2019). Factors influencing Women’s empowerment in Bangladesh. Science, Technology & Public Policy, 3(1), 1-7. doi: 10.11648/j.stpp.20190301.11
  • Uddin, M. (2021). Understanding MSME-owned women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: exploring motives, challenges, and success factors. International Journal of Critical Accounting, 12(2), 107-128. DOI:10.1504/IJCA.2021.115472
  • Uddin, M. M. (2023). The management functions are the ribs of successful entrepreneurship: A study on entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 7(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v7i1.1985
  • Ullah, A. K. M. (2020). Development of entrepreneurship in Bangladesh: Challenges and possibilities. International Journal of Management IT and Engineering, 10(4), 1-19.
  • World   Bank’s Gender Data  Portal  (2020). World  Bank blogs. https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/women entrepreneurs-needed-stat
  • World Economic Forum. (2013). The Global Gender Gap Report 2013. Geneva, Switzerland: World Economic Forum.