The foreign minister has called on the businesswomen to put their intensive efforts in drawing more women to the mainstream economy.

"We must make deliberate and concerted efforts to augment involvement of the women in our mainstream economic activities," M Morshed Khan said yesterday at the launching ceremony of a trade body of the country's women entrepreneurs.

The function marking the debut of Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (BFWE) was held at the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) auditorium in the capital with the new organisation's convener, Rokia Afzal Rahman, in the chair.

"Several women entrepreneurs' associations and women chambers have been active in promoting women entrepreneurship in Bangladesh," Morshed Khan said, lamenting that integrated approach towards such entrepreneurship is missing.

He also laid emphasis on creating millions of job opportunities for both the men and women.

"The enterprises that are sponsored and managed by women are more suitable for the female workers as they can work there with a sense of ease and security," Khan observed.

Hua Du, country director of Asian Development Bank, said women entrepreneurs constitute less than 10 percent of the total business entrepreneurs in Bangladesh whereas women in advanced market economies account for more than 25 percent of businesses.

She hoped the new apex body would be able to fill up the gap in coordination and networking of different women chambers of commerce and work on a complementary basis with other chambers and stakeholders to promote women entrepreneurship in the country.

Hua Du lauded Bangladesh's strong commitment to girl education, reducing maternal mortality and increasing female life expectancy.

Rokia Afzal Rahman said the federation will work towards empowering women across the country through mobilising fund for them.

The members of this welfare organisation will first work to develop women entrepreneurship in different sectors by offering them technical assistance and marketing facilities.

"We will first launch a training programme for the women engaged in the light engineering sector at Bogra with the help of Thengamara Mohila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS). A similar programme for the women working in the agriculture sector will be launched later," the BFWE chief added.

Rokia said different organisations are working at different areas to empower women across the country. The expertise and experiences of the organisations will be exchanged under the new forum to work in a integrated way.

"We enjoy to work together as we help each other," Rokia said.

She further said the BFWE will work to mitigate tension of the women and enhance their capacity.

Muhammad Faruk Khan MP, Farooq Sobhan, president of BEI, Gene George, country director

USAID, and Hosne Ara Begum, TMSS executive director, also spoke.

Angela Gomes of Banchte Shekha, Jessore, Monwara Hakim Ali of Chittagong Women Entrepreneurs, Sitara Ahsanullah of Women In Small Enterprises (WISE), Rowshan Ara Mahmud of Mini Mart at Baily Road in Dhaka, Selina Begum of WISE, Sabrina Islam of Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA), Khadija Afzal of Mini Mart at Gulshan, Rokeya Rahman of WEA, Ferdousi Ali of Khulna WE, Monjulika Chakma of Bain Textile, Rangamati, and Hosne Ara Khan of Mini Mart at Dhanmondi are the members of the BFWE.