Farida Akhtar Urges More Funding for Women Entrepreneurs to Tackle Climate Risks
Fisheries and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar emphasized the need for additional funding for women entrepreneurs to address climate risks, highlighting the importance of supporting environmentally sustainable businesses. She made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the seminar “Voices for Change: Putting Climate Action, Women Entrepreneurs, and SMEs in Bangladeshi Public Policy” held at Lakeshore Hotel in the capital.
The adviser called for prioritizing entrepreneurs who run their businesses with climate-conscious practices, drawing on resources from international government-level risk management funds. Akhtar stressed that increasing women’s entrepreneurship should focus not only on numbers but also on enhancing their visibility and influence. She noted that while institutions like Bangladesh Bank and the SME Foundation provide support, opportunities remain insufficient for women, who make up 51 percent of the population.
Highlighting the role of SMEs in employment generation, she said 50 to 60 percent of jobs created by small and medium enterprises benefit women. “A woman entrepreneur provides employment opportunities to several other women,” she added, praising women’s proven financial discipline and urging increased credit support. Akhtar also drew attention to the everyday threat posed by climate change, pointing out Bangladesh as one of the seven most vulnerable countries despite its minimal carbon emissions.
She shared her experience as head of Bangladesh’s delegation at COP-30 in Belem, Brazil, where women’s voices were often overlooked in climate discussions. Addressing environmental concerns in agriculture and livestock, she noted that the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is taking steps to reduce methane emissions through improved livestock diets, contrasting this with the high emissions of industrialized countries.
She further warned that the fisheries sector is among the hardest hit by climate change, citing declining Hilsa stocks and the emergence of oxygen-deficient zones in the sea. The seminar called for active participation of women entrepreneurs and SMEs in climate action, emphasizing their role in building a climate-resilient economy and advocating for sustainable policy support. Participants urged collaboration between public and private sectors to achieve growth, employment, and sustainable development goals.
The event was chaired by President of the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh, Nasreen Fatema Awal and featured special guests including Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Chairman Md. Mushfiqur Rahman, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Md. Rafiqul Islam, and Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation, Baiba Zarina.
