Empowering Female STEM Graduates 
On March 12, SheSTEM hosted Policy Cafe at Ahsanullah University of Science & Technology (AUST) to celebrate International Women’s Day, dedicated to bridging the gap and advancing Women in STEM across both Public & Private sectors:
The session was graced by:
- Mushfiqua Zaman Satiar – Senior Policy Advisor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh ;
- Jasper Kort – Financial Advisor in Development Cooperation, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh; and
Students and industry experts from various sectors actively participated in the event. Key figures from AUST, including:
- Prof. Dr. Md. Ashraful Hoque – Vice-Chancellor, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology;
- Prof. Dr. Omar Farrok – Professor, Dept of EEE and Ex-President, AUST Innovation and Design Club, Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology
attended the session.
The event aimed to highlight the growing importance of women’s contributions in both the public and private spheres. To ensure a diverse perspective, the panelists represented these sectors, including,
- Shaila Rahman – Head of Service Delivery & Experience, Grameenphone (GP);
- Monira Begum – Deputy Secretary, Secondary and Higher Education Division;
- Dr. Umme Hany – Associate Professor, Department of EEE, Ahsanullah University of Science & Technology; and
- Nahid Sharmin – Gender Analyst, A2i- Aspire to Innovate, ICT Division
The Policy Café discussion served as a dynamic platform for industry leaders, academicians, policymakers, and government officials to explore the current state of women’s participation in STEM across both public and private spheres. The panel fostered a collaborative learning opportunity, enabling stakeholders from both sectors to exchange insights on women’s inclusion, the policies they are implementing, and the challenges they face in increasing female representation in their respective fields.
Panelists discussed the challenges faced by female STEM graduates. Shaila Rahman from Grameenphone (GP) highlighted inclusive internship policies but emphasized that their main focus is to create an inclusive ecosystem for female leadership, stating, “We want to create an ecosystem and a culture that enables female leadership. It’s not just about the initial stage; we aim to transform the entire ecosystem to ensure women’s participation.” The panel also stressed the importance of developing skills and networking in STEM careers. Lastly, The participants contributed to making the session interactive with their intuitive questions.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks from Prof. Dr. Md. Ashraful Hoque, Vice-Chancellor of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology; Bijon Islam, CEO of LightCastle Partners; and Md. Afzal Hossain Sarwar, Policy Analyst Head of Future of Education at a2i, ICT Division, and UNDP Bangladesh.
Bijon Islam wrapped up the discussion by emphasizing, “If Bangladesh aspires to become an advanced economy by 2041, ensuring equal participation from the better half of the population is essential.“
SheSTEM extends its heartfelt gratitude to Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology for being a wonderful host for this event. Their dedication to fostering meaningful discussions and youth engagement made this gathering truly special.
