BRAC Bank Uddokta 101: 68 women entrepreneurs graduate from BRACU, DIU

BRAC Bank, in collaboration with BRAC University and Daffodil International University, hosted the graduation ceremonies for 68 women from its entrepreneur accelerator programme, Uddokta 101.

A total of 38 women from BRAC University and 30 from Daffodil International University successfully completed the programme, strengthening Bangladesh’s SME ecosystem, according to a media release. 

The BRAC University ceremony took place on February 20, 2025, followed by the Daffodil International University ceremony on February 27, 2025.

The accelerator programme comes against the backdrop of the rise of entrepreneurship in Bangladesh and especially an increasing number of women venturing into the business field.

This one-of-kind intensive capacity building programme aimed to facilitate the promising entrepreneurs in honing their managerial and entrepreneurial skills to help sustain and scale up businesses, the release says. 

This three-month certification course covered business, financial, and managerial skills, team-building, mental health awareness, and a business factory visit. Graduates will now enter a three-month mentorship programme led by industry experts to refine their entrepreneurial strategies.

To provide real-world market exposure, the up-and-coming entrepreneurs also participated in a two-day fair at their respective universities, according to the release. 

Senior BRAC Bank officials, including Deputy Managing Director and Head of SME Syed Abdul Momen, along with other business leaders, attended the events.

Faculty members from both universities, including Dr. Nusrat Hafiz, Assistant Professor and Director of the Women Empowerment Cell at BRAC University and Professor Dr. Masum Iqbal, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Entrepreneurship at Daffodil International University, also attended the ceremonies.