Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) yesterday sought a Tk 25-crore endowment fund from the government's budgetary allocation of Tk 100 crore for the development of women entrepreneurs. The endowment fund will help the women chamber run its training centre at Uttara in Dhaka that was set up under a public-private partnership.

“We will keep the fund as fixed deposit and the interest from it will be spent on the maintenance of the training centre,” Selima Ahmad, president of BWCCI, said while placing the demand to Finance Minster AMA Muhith at his secretariat.

The chamber aims to create 5,000 women entrepreneurs throughout the country. “Imparting training to them is a must,” she said.

Selina Quader, vice-president of the chamber, said the government's support is needed to provide training for the development of women entrepreneurs. “We need the allocation for the training purpose,” she said.

The chamber leaders also requested the finance minister to provide them with assistance to open offices of the chamber at divisional headquarters.

Sangita Ahmed, a member of BWCCI, said a lot of women outside Dhaka have the potential to become entrepreneurs. “The chamber needs its own offices in every divisional headquarters to tap that potential,” she said.

The chamber started its journey in 2001 with an aim to encourage and strengthen women's participation in the private sector as entrepreneurs by promoting a women friendly business environment. Some 2,500 women entrepreneurs are involved with the chamber now.