DHAKA, March 23, 2025 (BSS) – Women dominance in the e-commerce business is rising despite their very low representation at the top level of the IT companies.

When Samia Jahan decided to build her career as a woman-centric e-commerce entrepreneur it was absolutely a rugged journey for her.

She was inclined to study on computer science and become an entrepreneur. But her desire was melted after passing HSC examination.

Wrapped in darkness, Samia managed to study a course on Computer Science and Technology in a private institution as she failed to get admission in any public university.

After completing the course from private university in 2018 she got a job in a private IT company. Now she runs her e-commerce business as a woman entrepreneur after overcoming initial hurdles, setting an instance for others to get involved in computer-related e-business.

Presently, Samia earns a handsome amount with her monthly income ranging between Taka 70,000 and 80,000.

She embarked on a new idea of becoming a woman entrepreneur and accordingly she started scrolling through online after March, 2020. Her dream came true.

The growth of the e-commerce in Bangladesh has reduced the barriers to becoming an entrepreneur particularly for women.

Samia is one of many women entrepreneurs in e-commerce as the number of women entrepreneurs has been increased in the country.

Hundreds of women are selling products under different categories including home utility products through e-commerce platforms.

According to ‘Women’s E-commerce Forum’ out of total 11.21 lakh members of the forum, four lakh women are entrepreneurs.

In fact, women have become entrepreneurs during lockdown using internet at home. But the number of women at the top level of IT producing and marketing companies is below one percent even after three decades of journey of the information technology in the country.

Only 12 percent women are working in the information technology sector and most of them are working either at primary level or mid-level, according to official accounts.

Sources said forty percent women are working in country’s ‘Business Process Outsource-BPO’ industry. In the global BPO industry, Bangladesh captured about Taka 3,400 crore.

According to a research of Bangladesh Open Source Network (BDOSN) only one percent women students express their interest in programming profession after completing their institutional education.

The institutional education on computer science has been started at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 1986. Among the 20 students of the first batch, three were women.

Student of fourth batch of Computer Science and Technology of BUET Professor Mahbuba Naznin, who is now a teacher at the same university, said among the total students, 10 percent were women when she was a student. The number has been increased day by day, she said.

Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering Department of Dhaka University Professor Dr Latifa Jamal said presently about 25 percent women students are studying on information technology. But many women students are changing track at their professional life while many women are taking the challenge, she added.

Managing Director and CEO of Star Computer Systems Limited Rezwana Khan said they are working to increase the participation of women in the technology sector. They are working on three sectors- entrepreneurship, profession and corporate, said.

Small online business run by women get access to a new set of customers with minimal investment, she said.