Fish and Livestock Adviser Farida Akhtar said on Saturday that Bangladesh urgently needs additional international financing to address climate-related risks.
She said special financing must be ensured for all entrepreneurs, including women, from global climate funds and priority should go to those running environmentally friendly and sustainable businesses.
She was speaking as chief guest at a seminar titled “Voices for Change: Putting Climate Action, Women Entrepreneurs, and SMEs in Bangladesh’s Public Policy,” held at Lakeshore Hotel in Dhaka.
The adviser said increasing the number of women entrepreneurs is not enough and that their visibility and participation must grow. She said Bangladesh Bank, the SME Foundation and other government institutions are providing special assistance, but opportunities remain inadequate despite women making up half the population.
She said the SME sector is the country’s biggest source of employment, with 50 to 60 percent of its potential belonging to women. A woman entrepreneur typically creates employment for several others, including women.
She praised women’s consistent loan repayment record and said loan support for women should increase.
Farida Akhtar said earthquakes strike once, but climate change is a daily threat. Although Bangladesh contributes little to global emissions, it ranks among the seven countries most vulnerable to climate impacts.
Referring to COP-30 discussions in Belém, Brazil, she said women’s voices did not receive adequate attention.
She said carbon emissions are rising due to non-environment-friendly agriculture and livestock practices and that initiatives have started to reduce methane by improving cattle feed. However, she noted that industrial livestock in developed countries emits even more carbon.
She said the fisheries sector is suffering the most from climate change, with hilsa availability declining in rivers and at sea, and oxygen shortages emerging in parts of the ocean, posing severe risks to marine resources.
Speakers at the seminar called for stronger involvement of women entrepreneurs and SMEs in climate action, increased sustainable policy support and enhanced public-private partnerships.
Women Entrepreneur Association of Bangladesh President Nasreen Fatema Awal chaired the event.
Special guests included SME Foundation Chairman Md Mushfiqur Rahman, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Md Rafiqul Islam and Baiba Zarina, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation.
