She struggled her way to Rajshahi University from where she obtained masters degree in Bangla literature in 1992 and came to Dhaka in 1993 with the dream to do something worthy.

In a span of 13 years she rose to her ranks from a quality controller to a factory owner. She is now the managing director of Paramount Knitting Ltd which exports goods worth Tk 10-12 crore a year.

"When I went to a buying house after passing masters, they refused to recruit me because I did not have any experience in readymade garments sector," said Lylima, sitting at her office in Mirpur.

After the refusal, Lylima received a two-month training in woven materials and got an offer from the same buying house. She joined the company and worked as a quality controller for three years.

Then she took charge of a garment factory as a technical director where her job was to monitor total production, shipping schedule and delivery of the finished products to the buyers according to their orders.

After a year she left the job due to difference in opinion with the owner.

After leaving the job she thought of setting up a poultry farm and a washing plant. But finally she decided to set up a garment factory.

"I went to a private commercial bank for loan but they refused me, only because I'm a woman. Then my friend's elder sister Nazlee Apa, then an AGM in Janata Bank, helped me get the desired loan," she said.

"I started my factory in 2000 with 80 machines. Now I have 210 machines and 350 workers," she said.

Lilyma is grateful to her husband, parents, brothers and sisters, friends and all others who helped her in setting up and running the factory. She is the guardian of her family and she looks after her siblings since her father's death.

"I could do a government job. But I wanted to become a businessman like my father and grandfather," she said.

"Fourteen years ago it was quite unthinkable that a girl can become a businesswoman. The negative attitude among relatives and acquaintances was quite high. The society was always against me as I was an educated woman wanting to do something offbeat," said Lilyma.

"No political party left me in peace since I started my business. As an owner of a garment factory I urge the government and the political parties to let us run the business smoothly," she said.