Full Name: Selima Ahmad Merry

Affiliation: Bangladesh Awami League

Current Position: Incumbent Member of Parliament

Date of Birth: July 07, 1960

Place of Birth: Bangladesh

Home District: Cumilla

Constituency: 250, Cumilla-2

Term: First (11th-2018)

Nationality: Bangladeshi

Profile:

Selima Ahmad (born 07 July 1960) is a Bangladeshi Women Entrepreneur, politician and incumbent Member of Parliament representing Cumilla 2 (Homna-Titas) constituency. She is the vice chairperson of Nitol-Niloy Group and the founder and president of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI). She has been appointed by the Bangladesh Government as board of director of Bangladesh Development Bank limited. She also served as board member of state-owned Janata Bank Limited and Sonali Bank Limited.

Selima was born in Homna upazila of Cumilla district. She obtained graduation and Masters in Business Management from Dhaka University and did short courses from Japan, Denmark and Canada. She is a Fellow of Stanford University, USA.

Selima is the Vice Chairperson of the Nitol-Niloy Group. Her dynamic contribution at sales and marketing at Nitol Motors was remarkable for the growth of this company. She also established the first and only Artificial Silk Flower Industry in Bangladesh. For her continuous tireless work and contribution the Nitol-Niloy Group now have a strong, diversified profile, which includes a joint venture with TATA Motors of India to trade, assemble, and provide after sales support of vehicles, transport and aviation services, financial institutions, manufacturing of sugar, cement, paper and luggage, real estate development, and sports promotion. She is now the Head of HR division of Nitol-Niloy Group.

Selima is also the founder of the Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI), she was acutely aware of the need for a national body, which represented the interests and supported the initiatives of women entrepreneurs. As a successful businesswomen herself with longstanding experience in the private sector, she took the initiative to form a Chamber of Commerce devoted exclusively to facilitating the advancement of women entrepreneurs.

Drawing on her business experience and involvement with several trade organizations, including the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Bangladesh Automobile Assemblers and Manufacturers Association, Bangladesh Handicraft Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Association of Publicly Listed Companies, Selima convinced and mobilized women entrepreneurs, the government and development partners of the need for the creation of BWCCI. She had continuous dialogue with the Government for the need to grow women entrepreneurs and sustain their enterprises. Her persuasion and advocacy finally resulted in the approval by the Government to establish a separate Chamber of Commerce for women.

Selima's work is recognized not only in Bangladesh but also in the global arena. Her accomplishments have earned her the title of best female entrepreneur in Bangladesh by different organization in different time, Best women achievers, 2005, 2006 by Consortium of Women Entrepreneurs of India and TIAW World of Difference Award 100, 2010 for bringing a difference for Women in Bangladesh by The International Alliance for Women (TIAW), Canada. Selected as a laureates of Islamic Development Bank in ‘Women’s Contribution in Development ‘and awarded for 2012.

Selima was elected as a member of parliament in 2018 from Cumilla-2 (Homna-Titas) constituency as a candidate of the Bangladesh Awami League.

Register for comment

Comments

No data found