DHAKA, Jan 22 , 2025 (BSS) -  With the steady expansion of Facebook-based businesses, women are increasingly becoming interested in this new type of social commerce as it is hassle-free and does not require large capital or physical shops.
 
Although this F-commerce was a little known trading platform even a few years ago, it started becoming popular in the country especially during the Corona pandemic when public life was confined within four walls. And now it is considered to be the best trading platform for women in the country.
 
During the Corona pandemic Halima Afroz and her husband thought it wasn’t good just sitting at home. She used to bake just as a hobby and send food to relatives' houses. Later, she opened a page on the Facebook and started getting orders for homemade food as many people suggested starting a business through online.
 
Halima, a resident of Banasree in the capital, started the online food business at the end of 2020. “Although I started it as a hobby, now my family is run through the business. Besides, I have also another online-based initiative,” she said.
 
Tahura Banu’s story is a little different. Seven years ago, when she first posted a picture of saree on her Facebook page, she didn’t get any response even after 15 days. Later, she posted picture by wearing the saree herself and got a good response. Online business has shown the way for women like Tahura to become self-reliant.
 
Tahura Banu of Naogaon opened a page on Facebook and developed her business in phases. After opening a showroom in Naogaon, she is now planning to open a showroom in Dhaka as well. Tahura said that it would have been difficult to give time to her family by doing job. So, she started online business and now she can give time according to her convenience.
 
 Not only Halima or Tahura, women have revolutionized online business.
 
A report of the United Nations Trade and Development Organization (UNCTAD) on 'women's e-commerce business' in the last year said that e-commerce can make it easier for women entrepreneurs to enter the business. Through this, they gain experience, expand their financial contacts, and increase their business network and market opportunities. E-commerce is much more convenient in terms of time than conventional businesses.
 
According to the E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (E-CAB), women entrepreneurs account for about 9 percent of the e-commerce sector. Women's participation in the e-commerce market is about 25 percent. However, women are much ahead in Facebook-based businesses.
 
E-CAB said that there are 5,00,000 Facebook pages in the country where 55 percent of Facebook pages that regularly sell products are women entrepreneurs. According to E-CAB, the e-commerce market is about Taka 40,000 crore where about Taka 8,000 crore of the market is under the control of women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs usually do business in fashion, lifestyle services and products and food-based businesses.
 
The association said in villages, women entrepreneurs are 11 percent and in cities it is 6.5 percent. In other words, due to the spread of the internet service in the country, women are becoming interested in online business even with small capital. Women in villages are creating income generation opportunities from home despite social restrictions and limited access to internet.
 
The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) published a report on 'The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024' in last year. It said that 40 percent of men and 24 percent of women in Bangladesh use internet on their mobile phones. But 50 percent of women know about the use of the internet, while women are more interested in using the internet than men.
 
UNCTAD, however, in its report said that digital gender inequality, especially in less developed countries and prevailing ideas in society, create obstacles for women to enter and participate in e-commerce.