DHAKA, Bangladesh, 18 November 2025 – In a stirring and heartfelt speech at the inauguration of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2025, Dr. Rubina Hussain, President of the Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs and representative of GEN Women Bangladesh, delivered a powerful message on the importance of skills, financial literacy, and self-reliance for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly women.
Addressing the young innovators at the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit, held at Daffodil International University, Dr. Hussain shared her personal journey. "I am here to talk about entrepreneurs. By default, I am an entrepreneur myself," she revealed. "I never imagined that I would stand before you as an entrepreneur, but today, I am so very proud that my voice and representation allow me to speak here with confidence, with humility, with dignity, and honor."
She framed entrepreneurship not just as a career choice but as a fundamental right. "For women entrepreneurs, the position you hold is a right. It's your right," she declared. "And women should stand on their own feet."
Dr. Hussain emphasized that skills and financial literacy are the bedrock of this empowerment. "Our previous speaker mentioned that financial literacy is very important. This needs to start from the primary level," she asserted. "When we talk about becoming entrepreneurs, the concept of skills immediately comes to mind. Without skills, we can't think of anything. To build our lives, we must move forward through our own capabilities and skills."
She made a direct appeal to policymakers, including the respected advisor present, to accelerate the integration of skills into the national curriculum. "I know that the previous government was thinking about how to incorporate skills into our curriculum from the primary level. But with our collective effort and intelligence, we need to think about how to push this forward with greater force."
Dr. Hussain stressed that an entrepreneurial mindset must be nurtured from a young age, creating a pathway for children to apply their talents in the future, whether in a job or as an entrepreneur.
Her closing message was one of resilience and national pride. "A request to all of you: do not give up. Because this is our country, and we are the ones who will build it," she urged. "We are here, and we are proud to be Bangladeshis. We need to show the world that it's not just about our intelligence or skills, but through our capabilities, we can demonstrate our worth."
She concluded by highlighting the power of collaboration in the modern era of AI and digitalization. "You cannot do it alone," she reminded the students. "The more we come forward, connect, and collaborate, the more our expansion, improvement, and growth will happen. I hope you all move forward with this mindset and this hope."
About Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Bangladesh:
GEN Bangladesh is the national chapter of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, a platform of programs and initiatives aimed at creating one global entrepreneurial ecosystem. GEN helps people in 200 countries unleash their ideas and turn them into promising new ventures.
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