A torchbearer for women’s economic empowerment

Her grace was talked about in social circles. We often wondered how she always managed to look so elegant, so properly attired for every occasion. To many of us, she was an inspiration, a mentor who embodied the values and traditions of a South Asian woman, and at the same time was so modern, progressive and forward-looking. 

Rokia Afzal Rahman, lovingly known as Roki Apa, passed away peacefully in the early morning of April 5, leaving so many of us shocked and dismayed. It will take a long time to really fathom the loss and void created by her demise. In a world fractured by self-interest and intense rivalry, she stood out as a unifying force, bringing divergent groups and opinions together to come to consensus on issues that were closest to her heart, one of which was women's economic empowerment.

Rokia Afzal started her career as a banking professional in 1962 when few women ventured into the profession. She became the first female bank manager in Bangladesh in 1964. She later entered the world of business and rose in stature to become one of the most respected entrepreneurs in the country, heading 11 different companies. She was elected the president of Bangladesh Employers' Federation and president of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and served as the chairperson of MIDAS. 

However, what made her stand out from the rest was her focus on building institutions to assist women to become economically independent. She believed that women's emancipation lay in their economic solvency. To this end, she set up the Women Entrepreneurs Association (WEA) in 1994. WEA's primary objective was to build skills of micro and small women entrepreneurs to manage their business better to make maximum profits. Thousands of women received training on financial management, book-keeping and sound business practices through the WEA.

With her demise, Bangladesh has lost one of its leading women entrepreneurs who not only promoted her own business, but worked relentlessly to make others, especially women, self-reliant.

She also founded the Women in Small Enterprises (WISE) to further upgrade and promote women in small enterprises and business. She would travel to remote villages to meet women to help them come out of their cycle of poverty and attain economic independence. She encouraged women to speak out about their problems in running their businesses. Being well-connected in the business world, Rokia Afzal also initiated a number of policy changes for women to get easy access to credit and much needed skills development.

In August 2006, she founded the Bangladesh Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (BFWE). The BFWE works with five million women, most of whom are in small towns and rural areas. This was a major step forward in bringing a large number of women into small businesses. The proliferation and success of women's small enterprises all over Bangladesh today can be largely credited to the pioneering effort of Rokia Afzal Rahman.

With her demise, Bangladesh has lost one of its leading women entrepreneurs who not only promoted her own business, but worked relentlessly to make others, especially women, self-reliant. She dreamt of a Bangladesh with less inequality, where everyone would live with dignity. She also believed in regional cooperation and built close relationships with many across the region. She was an active member of the South Asia Women's Network (SWAN) and was loved and admired as a beloved SWAN sister. 

Roki Apa, you will be missed, but your legacy of empowering women economically will live on. You have left behind institutions that will carry forward your wonderful work. At a personal level, my family and I will miss your affection, your care and your ever smiling beautiful face. Rest in peace, Apa. You lived a life of principle, of giving and sharing. 

Shaheen Anam is the executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation.