Leading To Give Back

Shusmita Anis is the Managing Director of ACI Formulations Ltd., a sister concern of ACI Group. This company offers crop protection chemicals in granular, powder and liquid forms, as well as public health products; mosquito pesticides in the form of aerosols, vaporizers and coils; household chemicals; and air freshener products and Paints marketed under three Strategic Business Units.

Her business philosophy is to work with farmers at the grass-root level to provide them technology and products as complete solution to improve land productivity, thus ensuring economic well-being of the farmers. 

As a Group, ACI covers the entire value chain of agriculture, like soil preparation through mechanization, seeds, fertilizers, crop protection chemicals, irrigation pumps, harvesting and distribution of agri-products through its various subsidiaries and associated companies. 

ACI’s mission is to improve the quality of life of the people of Bangladesh. We are all aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and have many technology-based support programmes which contributes to the improvement of agricultural yield and attainment of food security for the nation.     

In her business she has ensured gender equality, individual empowerment, delegation of authority and appropriate training for career development, creating a work force dedicated to customer satisfaction.

Establishing Individual Rights

Shusmita Anis believes that women’s rights are to be established through systematic efforts and close monitoring. Women’s rights to education, health, justice, equality and choices will enable them to flourish and make worthwhile contribution towards a just and fair society. 

To start with, parents have the responsibility in ensuring that children are treated equally at home. This will instill a sense of self-confidence in girls and they will be able to exert their rights to equality in future life. The community at large should have the right kind of mindset to treat children equally, irrespective of gender. What is important is to get the girls to grow up with a sense of equality. Girls with self-confidence will be able to claim their due share in contributing to the development of the society.

Societal mindset has to change. Government policies are appreciated but they have to be enforced with greater emphasis. In respect of employment, discrimination still persists. Above all women’s security must be ensured at all levels. 

Shusmita’s journey has taken her through some challenging situations. In her adolescence she changed her location from Bangladesh to Kenya and later to USA. She had to figure out many things on her own and had the self-confidence to handle them without help. Much of that has been due to the family environment in which she grew up. In her working life she has ensured gender-equality in all aspects of the business environment around her. 

In Bangladesh we are in a unique position to practice women empowerment, because there is the political will to do so. That is the biggest hurdle in many developing countries and we are fortunate in that respect.

Women are the backbone of any society and mother is the anchor of the family. Women empowerment is a prerequisite to development of any country. We now have to enforce the laws and encourage compliance. In our growth trajectory we must mobilize the women power to play our due role in creating a sustainable economy and just society.