Business executives and trade leaders said Bangladesh’s fast-growing retail sector has already provided jobs for more than 60,000 people, and there is huge potential to generate more employment opportunities for young people and women.
As the main guest at a roundtable in Dhaka on Thursday, Nihad Kabir, President of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), said: “Women need training to access jobs in retail sectors. very limited. The government should focus on setting up these facilities.
The event, organized by the Brac Skills Development Program, aimed to foster discussions with the private sector on youth employment in retail and the skills training required for the jobs.
Tamara Abed, Managing Director of Aarong, Brac, said: “As employers, we need to create an appropriate environment for men and women. There should be policies to create a more comfortable and healthy environment. working hours not only for women but also for people with disabilities.”
She said Brac had arranged transportation for her staff to return home from work. However, it is difficult for all offices to organize this facility.
Murtoza Zaman, CEO of Unimart, said if a woman returns home after 10 p.m., she faces humiliating attitudes from others. “We need to reverse this social stigma,” he added.
Aziza Ahmed, Operations Manager of Bangladesh Business and Disability Network, said, “Our job is to connect job seekers with employers. thanks to the transport problem.”
She said there should be an integrated stage including training facilities and transport arrangements.
Managing Director of Apex Footwear, Syed Nasim Manzur, observed: “Not only is it enough to organize training and employment in the retail sector, but improving the quality of the sector is also imperative. . The government must play a decisive role in formulating the necessary laws and recognizing them. “
MM Ferdous, Executive Director of Best Electronics, said: “We want female workers, but we are not getting them. In our 92 showrooms, there are only 11 women out of 411 employees. The job seeker must have basic knowledge about selling electronic products. “
Considering the potential of the retail sector, Brac’s Skills Development Program is implementing a project titled “Advancing the Retail Sector by Improving Decent Employment (Pride)” with the aim of create a model of sustainable livelihoods for low-income urban youth. Some 5,200 people will be trained under this program.
Launched in 2020, the program will end in 2023. To date, 877 people have been trained and 54% of them have managed jobs.
