When a recent global survey finds a token presence of women in finance and accounting, leading female executives suggest extensive country-specific studies for measures to fill the gap.
They also feel the need for collective actions by organisations to bring positive changes on the scene as the number of females here is also found quite low.
The female executives shared their experiences and reviewed findings of a global study during a webinar on Thursday night.
A distinct lack of steps has resulted in lowering confidence and solitary feeling on the trajectories of executive and non-executive roles and positions.
The Association of Chartered Certificate Accountant (ACCA) Bangladesh with the support of Summit Group hosted the webinar ahead of International Women's Day.
Unilever Bangladesh director (finance excellence and BPC finance) Zinnia Huq, Summit Power director Azeeza Aziz Khan, South Asia regional financial controller Tanzila Rahman Chowdhury, Qasem and Co partner and chartered accountant Sanjida Kashem and founding partner of Snehasish Mahmud and Co, among others, shared their thoughts.
Some male colleagues in accounting, finance and management, including HR head of Summit Communication Ltd Asif Hossain, Amann Group HR head Mehanaz Uddin Rupom, founding director of British American Tobacco Amun Mustafiz and The Financial Express planning editor Asjadul Kibria also joined the webinar.
ACCA, a global body for professional accountants, finance and management, conducted the study based on online interviews at executive and non-executive levels.
It finds 18-per cent senior roles in financial services are occupied by women dropping off from mid-manager level onwards.
The number of women partners in four big and medium-sized accounting firms is 'surprisingly' low at 15 per cent.
The study refers to have little research on women experiences all through their career and how they compare with men revealing that seven years gap between men and women at entry level to get executive level.
However, women go ahead faster than men after reaching the position, it cites.
Prawma Khan of ACCA Bangladesh moderated the session highlighting confidence cult, busting the myth of meritocracy, and other key insights.
Ms Zinnia highlighted the need for getting female role models to overcome challenges in the career following development of corporate system in recent years.
But she expressed concern with going down of women numbers for lack of safety at different stages and organisational support.
Zareen Mahmud Hosein echoed the same and laid stress on creating a female-friendly environment at entry level, including training scope to build confidence.
Ms Azeeza laid importance on network building to overcome the feeling of solitude which few females study found when reach to executive top position.
Ms Tanzila talked more about recruitment policy, skill development including negotiating skills.
She said flexible working hours, as well as scope for remote working, could help reduce the gap found in the study between men and women in finance and accounting, management profession.
Mr Asif, however, called for a change of mindset as men found at top level are not habituated seeing females at their stage which led often feeling of solitary for females.
Awareness of the presence of more and more women in workforce, continuous programme on women career building in finance and accounting, highlighting success stories can change the scene.
