Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment, a non-governmental organisation, organised a discussion titled Internet Shutdown and Private Sector Business at the Dushtha Shasthya Kendra auditorium in Dhaka on Saturday.
Women entrepreneurs attended the discussion and expressed concern about the internet shutdown and its negative impact on business, said a press release.
The said shutting down internet connectivity of common people was a violation of human rights, which threatened different professions, including business, education, medicine, culture, e-commerce, and freelancing.
鈥業f people鈥檚 access to the Internet is take away, even temporarily, it has a negative impact on almost all social, economic, political, business, medical, educational, entertainment and expression rights,鈥� they said.
The women entrepreneurs present at the meeting drew the attention of the government by highlighting the financial loss in their small businesses, life and livelihood due to the internet shutdown.
Executive director of VOICE Ahmed Swapan Mahmud gave a welcome speech in the discussion meeting. He said, 鈥楾he small and medium entrepreneurs who are dependent on online or Facebook, in the continuous internet shutdown of the July-August, they have faced more losses.鈥�
Deputy director of VOICE, Musharrat Mahera, highlighted the role of small and medium enterprises in the private sector in the national gross domestic product.
