The first online marketplace for small women entrepreneurs in South Asia, weHatbazar, has launched in Bangladesh with 100 local merchants offering domestic products. This platform aims to empower women by integrating F-commerce, P-commerce, and homemade products into an e-commerce setting.
The inaugural ceremony of this special e-commerce platform was held at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (May 16) under the auspices of Social Welfare Minister Dr. Dipu Moni.
At the time, she said, “The use of information technology is an example of how a person can change – We are witnessing the externalization of women’s creativity.”
Dr. Dipu Moni informed that the Ministry of Social Welfare provides training for the skill development of women and said- “Women are gradually becoming skilled through these trainings of various ministries of the government. They have also learned to be organized. We are seeing the efforts of the Bangabandhu’s daughters to bring these people to the mainstream along with the women.”
She said- “We want to create a world of equality where women will not be oppressed, women will enjoy their rights, where there will be no violence; To create that world, it is very important to strive for women’s political empowerment along with their economic empowerment. WE is doing that job very skillfully, I think.”
The inaugural ceremony was attended by Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Junaid Ahmed Palak, Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology Division Md Shamsul Arefin, President of Bangladesh Mahila Awami League Meher Afroz Chumki, and Lead Country Economist of the World Bank Souleymane Coulibaly.
Speaking at the ceremony, Junaid Ahmed Palak said, “Due to various facilities of the government, today 50 percent women entrepreneurs have been created. From now on, 50 thousand takas will be given as a grant to 5 thousand women entrepreneurs. I hope the distribution will start from June.”
With the collaboration of ‘WE’, a memorandum of understanding will be signed with the Postal Department to assist in the delivery of products of entrepreneurs, special internet packages will be given to them. Minister Palak said- “Arrangements will be made so that women entrepreneurs can get high-speed internet at a very low price. In addition, when cashless digital banking is introduced, a financial system will be arranged within the limit for women e-commerce entrepreneurs without any interest. So that they have no problem with money.”
Welcoming remarks were made at the ceremony by Jahanoor Kabir Sakib, Chairman of weHatBazar.com. Then the CEO of the organization, Imana Haque Jyoti, shed light on this new platform. Lead Country Economist of the World Bank Souleymane Coulibaly also spoke.
At the ceremony, Nasima Aktar Nisha, Editor-in-Chief of the ICT sector and CEO of weHatBazar, presented the future plans of weHatbazar. She informed that, “During this time of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, there has been a 40 percent growth in digital commerce in the country. It is hoped that one lakh women will be employed in e-commerce through the welfare of this platform. Starting with 100 merchants, more merchants will be added in the future. In the next one and a half years, 1,000 merchants will be added. Then in the next 5 years, this number will increase to 10,000. Just be patient and work. Take care of your own initiative.”
Leaders of various organizations, including BASIS, BCS, ISPAB, and BACCO, were present at the event.
The online marketplace ‘weHatbazar’ is embarking on a journey with the first 100 merchants. Here, only locally made products by women entrepreneurs will be available. No foreign products will be available.
