Innovation and Development Associates (IDEA) foundation organizes a seminar titled Gender Dimension of Digital Financial Services (DFS) in Bangladesh, held on June 4, 2023 at Bangabandhu Military Museum’s Seminar Hall, a press release said on Sunday. According to World Bank and GSMA 2022 data, 7.2% of women in the country are using their own accounts in Mobile Financial Services (MFS) with 20% receiving services directly and indirectly from SFS. At the same time, according to BIDS and ADB 2021 data, women are not connected to 57.8% SFS services.
Kazi M. Aminul Islam, former alternate executive director of World Bank, former secretary and former chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and chairman of IDEA Foundation presided over the seminar, in the presence of the chief guest, Md. Hasanuzzaman Kallol, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, and special guest Ms. Snigdha Ali, Interim Senior Program Officer and Gender Advisor, Bangladesh and Women’s Economic Empowerment Financial Services for the Poor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The welcome speech was delivered by the secretary of IDEA Foundation and former senior secretary Mohammad Shahidul Haque; an open discussion session was moderated by, Md. Abul Kalam Azad, Vice Chairman of IDEA Foundation and former Principal Secretary and Chief Coordinator (SDG). The speakers were Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Business Initiative Leading Development-Build, Ferdous Ara Begum and Dr. Sayema Haque Bidisha, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Dhaka. The summary was presented by IDEA Foundation’s senior Sociologist, Khondoker Shakhawat Ali.
The main article was presented by the senior researcher of IDEA Foundation, Dr. Monzur Hossain where he stated that DFS was started in early 2010 and has created a revolution in financial inclusion.
