The success of women in Bangladesh is exemplary and can be followed all over the world. Our government has adopted various plans and strategies for women’s development, women’s workplace, women’s empowerment and establishing equal rights for women. As a result of the successful implementation of these policies and strategies, significant progress has been made in gender equality and women’s empowerment in Bangladesh ([8]). Women’s participation is increasing in various fields, including politics, economy, and public and private employment. One of the most important aspects of women’s empowerment is their economic freedom. When a woman is self-reliant, it becomes easier for her to have an opinion and participate in all areas of personal, family, and social life. Currently, technology is having a special impact on the economic emancipation of women in Bangladesh. By using technology, women are getting opportunities to work in various fields both at home and abroad. In other words, technology offers opportunities for direct, interactive communication even by those who lack skills, who are illiterate, lack mobility and have little self-confidence. Nowadays, we find more women are employed in various knowledge based industries such as computer-aided design, graphic design, composing etc. With this growing number of women’s employment, the job environment is becoming more convenient and friendly for women. This changed scenario indicates a positive attitude towards women’s employment ([9]).

So we can say that technology has helped women’s society to turn around. Even the section of women’s society that had no access to technology has also benefited from this. Women are showing equal skills in using technology. Women have chosen various employment options, including technology-based entrepreneurship, to escape unemployment and poverty. As a result, Bangladesh has made great economic progress in recent years. The status and position of women have also changed. Currently, women’s participation is visible in almost all sectors of society. However, since not all classes of people have equal access to technology, the benefits of this progress have not reached everyone equally. The question is how much existing technology is women-friendly. About 55 percent of women are still excluded from technology in terms of access and benefits ([11]). In Bangladesh, roughly 50.2% of women do not use internet services, meaning about half of the female population remains completely offline ([4]). We have the highest gap between men and women in receiving mobile internet services at 40% among Asian countries. The gap is 30% in India, 38% in Pakistan and 8% in Indonesia ([6]).

The main objectives of the study are:

To analyze how access to information technology contributes to women’s socio-economic empowerment in Bangladesh.To identify the factors affecting women’s empowerment.To evaluate the impact of government and non-government initiatives aimed at promoting digital inclusion for women in Bangladesh.

The present study is categorized as explanatory. This study is based on primary and secondary data. For primary data, a female outsourced worker was interviewed to gather preliminary information relevant to the study. The information obtained during the interview was documented. Further a thorough examination of pertinent documents and published sources is carried out to investigate the research goals. The secondary data is obtained from annual reports of various organizations dedicated to women’s rights, Government Gazettes, national newspapers, relevant articles and literature, as well as various websites. These sources offer important information about the topic and assist in understanding current trends, difficulties and the policies that have been implemented. The data that has been gathered is carefully examined, studied and explained in a structured way to gain a full grasp of the research subject.

The notion of empowerment was first emphasized by the World Bank in its World Development Report for the years 2000-2001 ([13]). According to the World Bank, empowerment refers to the process of increasing the ability of an individual or group to make intentional choices and to convert those choices into favorable actions and results ([1]). Women’s empowerment is defined as the journey in which women become conscious of the imbalanced power relations influenced by gender and obtain a more significant opportunity to express their opposition to the inequalities that exist within the household, workplace, and community ([12]).

Women’s empowerment is the process by which women develop their ability, self-belief, capital and authority to make their own decisions and take control of their lives. Analytically, it is a multidimensional idea that covers many different areas, including economic, social, political, educational and legal aspects. Historically, women have experienced discrimination and inequality in education, employment, and healthcare sectors. In the context of Bangladesh, the empowerment of women includes providing them with educational resources, skill development, and equitable job opportunities, allowing them to attain financial independence. Women with economic empowerment can assist their families and play a role in reducing poverty.

Women empowerment is essential for the sustainable development of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh about 50.8% population is female ([14]). The number of working women in Bangladesh was about 24.51 million ([2]). According to various reports, although the number of working women is high, their participation in the workplace is still very low. But to ensure women’s empowerment, Article 28 (2) of our Constitution states that men and women shall enjoy equal rights in all aspects of state and public life ([10]).

Many women, especially in rural areas, still face social, economical and cultural barriers that limit their opportunities and potentials. Every woman must be ensured involvement in economic and social activities through which women’s empowerment can truly be realized. Women’s empowerment does not mean opposing men, but rather fighting against patriarchy, fighting against gender inequality. To establish women’s empowerment, women must be given dignity in all spheres of society and all forms of violence against women must be prevented.

Although information and technology entered Bangladesh a long time ago, in the 21st century, IT has become a big part of our daily lives. In this era of digitalization, information technology is being applied in all aspects of life and work. Women’s participation in the information technology sector is increasing and this picture is gradually changing. While this sector was once considered a male domain, women are now proving their mettle in everything from educational institutions to the workplace, and even in ventures like e-commerce. Currently, about 20%-25% of women are involved in this sector in the country. Besides, women’s participation in management roles within the IT sector stands at 15%. On the other hand, women’s participation in India’s IT sectors stands at approximately 32% ([7]). A study has shown that about 25 percent of female students are studying computer science or ICT-related subjects in universities in Bangladesh ([5]). Although this is not half of the total number of students, but it indicates a positive change. Interest in science subjects is being developed among girls from the school level, which is encouraging them to choose engineering or IT careers.

Meanwhile, the current government has taken various initiatives to increase women’s participation in the IT sector and build a digital Bangladesh. The Leveraging ICT for Growth, Employment and Governance (LICT) project, funded by the World Bank, aims to develop more than 10,000 skilled women in the IT sector and is conducting various incentive campaigns to ensure that at least 30 percent of women participate ([3]).

Nowadays, IT in Bangladesh is playing a vital function in empowering women by facilitating access to education, economic opportunities and information, thereby assisting them in overcoming socio-cultural obstacles and engaging more comprehensively in our society. By closing the digital gap and fostering digital literacy, IT can enable women to achieve greater economic independence, access necessary services and take part in decision-making processes. Some specific ways to empower women through IT are.

In Bangladesh, both government and non-government entities have launched numerous efforts to foster digital inclusion for women. The government has rolled out programs focused on digital literacy, ICT training and technology-driven public services aimed at increasing women’s access to information technology. Programs such as digital centers and skills development initiatives are designed to boost women’s technological expertise and job prospects. Additionally, the Joyeeta Foundation, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Bangladeshi government, is dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs economically. This initiative provides women with training and equips them with skills in digital marketing. On the other hand, non-governmental organizations also offer training in information technology, support for starting digital businesses and chances to run online businesses, especially for women in rural areas. A program is being carried out with Plan International Bangladesh and Telenor to improve digital access for women in rural and less privileged areas, with a strong emphasis on empowering women. These programs are helping women build digital skills, access financial services, get involved in online business and become more financially independent.

Ayesha Akhter, a 35-year-old woman. She got married before completing her CSE honors from a private university. With a supportive husband and two children, she devoted her early married life to family responsibilities. However, once her children began attending school regularly, she found herself with valuable free time and a strong desire not to let it go to waste. She wanted to use her education and skills. Afterward, she spoke with her husband and made the decision to start outsourcing work from home. She completed a short-term professional course to improve her technical and freelancing skills. Later on, she began outsourcing work from her home. At first, attracting clients was a challenge. Within six to seven months, her workload grew significantly. She often worked late into the night to meet deadlines, showcasing her dedication and professionalism. The extent of her work was increasing each day and it was becoming increasingly difficult to handle everything on her own. Realizing this, Ayesha hired five women who already had fundamental outsourcing skills. Over time, her team expanded to ten women. Today, she successfully manages this small outsourcing group, empowering other women while balancing her family responsibilities. After deducting her expenses, she earns an average of 70,000 taka each month and enjoys both financial security and family joy.

Women’s empowerment is a major goal of the Bangladesh government. That is why special importance has been given to women’s empowerment in the 8th Five Year Plan in the light of SDGs. The government has taken various steps to advance women in every field. Everyone must come forward for the overall development of women, including increasing the use of information technology for the development of women. Various steps must be taken to promote and create awareness on this issue at the government and private levels. In addition, information technology-related infrastructure must be built so that thousands of women can find the path to development and liberation.