Women bidders seek more training on e-GP system

Women entrepreneurs and bidders of public tenders yesterday urged for more training facilities on the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system introduced by the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA).

They made the plea at a daylong training programme on e-GP, organised by the Public Procurement Authority at its office at Planning Commission, in Dhaka, according to a press release.

The programme was aimed at encouraging women's participation in public procurement processes.

They also said the duration of the training should be longer. The procurement authority responded positively to their demand.

In collaboration with the Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programmes, the state-run procurement authority organised the event.

More than 40 women entrepreneurs took part in the programme.

Abul Kashem Md Mohiuddin, secretary to the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Ministry of Planning, attended the event as the chief guest.

Md Sakhawat Hossain, director of the procurement authority, gave a presentation on their functions, sustainable public procurement, e-GP progress and women's participation in public procurement.

Mirza Ashfaqur Rahman, chief executive officer of the authority and chairperson of the event, said that women across the world constitute only 40 per cent of global entrepreneurs.

"In Thailand, it is 26 percent of its total entrepreneurs, in India it is 22 per cent and in Bangladesh it is only 7.3 per cent," Rahman said.

In the e-GP system, the number of registered women bidders is 4,205, while the total number of bidders now registered is 1,16,119, he informed.

The procurement authority introduced e-GP in 2011, which has been widely accepted by both procuring entities and tenderers for its simplicity, speed, and reliability.

Among others, Laboni Chakma, director of the procurement authority, was also present.