Celebrating women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh’s beauty industry

Cholo Egiye Jai, a book featuring the stories of 99 entrepreneurs from Bangladesh’s beauty industry, has been published under the planning and editorial direction of Afroza Parvin, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Ujjwala and a prominent beauty expert. The book has been published by Desh Publications.

The book was unveiled at a ceremony held on September 25 at the Notre Dame Club Auditorium in Banani. The event brought together entrepreneurs from the beauty industry, writers, poets, journalists, beauty experts and fashion designers.

The programme opened with a Rabindra Sangeet performed by Antara Ray Chowdhury. Prominent lifestyle journalist Labannya Lipi delivered the welcome address.

“Afroza Parvin has not only brought these entrepreneurs into the spotlight; she has also given them the mental strength to become self-reliant and contribute to society. There was a time when some of them did not even have the courage to speak up at home. Today, they are contributing not only to their families but also to the economy of the country,” she said.
Prominent beauty expert Kaniz Alamas Khan then addressed the gathering, praising the initiative and highlighting the important role women play in Bangladesh’s beauty services sector.

Sangita Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and Farzana Khan, Deputy Managing Director of the SME Foundation, spoke about the various challenges women face in their professional journeys. Both expressed their pride as women in seeing others move forward despite these obstacles.

Sangita Ahmed said she would look forward to the second volume of Cholo Egiye Jai. Farzana Khan, meanwhile, said she would have been happy to be the 100th woman featured in the book.

Three of the entrepreneurs featured in the book—Maruf Munna, Mohsina Munni and Ikra Ahsan Chowdhury—also shared their stories at the event. Each has faced various challenges at different stages of life and built their position by overcoming those obstacles. They expressed their gratitude to Ujjwala and Afroza Parvin for their support and encouragement.

The event also featured remarks by Bangla Academy Award-winning writer Nasima Anis and writer, editor and publisher Nahida Ashrafi.

Nasima Anis said, “Creating women entrepreneurs in the beauty sector is an important initiative in the developing world. Women in our society contribute labour to their families, but that labour often has no financial value. This is a major reason for their vulnerability. When a woman entrepreneur begins to earn, she starts contributing to her family and society. Society is then compelled to recognise her. The work Afroza Parvin has undertaken from her position deserves appreciation.”

Nahida Ashrafi congratulated the entrepreneurs featured in Cholo Egiye Jai, edited by Afroza Parvin.

“When a makeup artist transforms someone, they do not simply enhance their external appearance; they also make them more confident. For this, we can truly respect them from our hearts. In a way, we are all beauticians. Some of us work with words, while others work with makeup,” she said.
She added that awakening this consciousness of beauty and aesthetics could help society move much further forward.

In her vote of thanks, Afroza Parvin spoke about Ujjwala’s journey and its efforts to create opportunities for women beauty professionals. She also spoke about the publication of Cholo Egiye Jai and expressed her gratitude to everyone who contributed to the initiative and attended the event.
Following her remarks, the guests formally unveiled Cholo Egiye Jai.

The event was hosted by prominent and popular actor Afsana Mimi. Beyond her role as presenter, she kept the programme engaging with her lively and thoughtful interactions. She also recited an excerpt from a poem by Shankha Ghosh.

The evening concluded with another musical performance by Antara Ray Chowdhury.