The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

A boom in the handloom industry has been contributing to the rural economy, helping hundreds of distressed women and unemployed girls to achieve economic self- reliance in recent years.

The hapless women are successfully changing their fortunes by sewing garments and other income generating activities, ushering in a new era in rural economy and women empowerment in the north, dubbed as poorest part of the country.

Many of them have already achieved their economic self- reliance by their own initiatives and external assistance from different organisations, which are providing training, inputs and creating marketing facilities for their products to sell.

Over 50,000 distressed women, mostly divorced and unemployed young girls of rural and urban areas, have become partially self-reliant, while many others are following the same suit, making financial contributions to their families.

Nearly a dozen of government departments, as much as local NGOs and leading NGOs like Grameen Bank, RDRS, ASA, BRAC are playing vital role to encourage women through training, credits and supply of inputs including sewing machines.

Production of readymade garments made by handloom fabrics has been growing fast as more women, widows, divorcees and teenaged girls are becoming interested in engaging sewing as a profession.

Hundreds of the distressed and unemployed young girls of greater Rangpur have been showing more interests in getting training on preparing readymade garment products in the army- assisted training centres at village Pairaband in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha and other areas.

They are getting jobs at renowned garments factories and abroad after completion of their training courses at these centres being run under the assistance of BKMEA and BGMEA, officials said.

Concerned NGO experts and officials told BSS that the distressed women and girls are showing more interests in sewing profession. They also expressed the hope that the profession would help women empowerment at the grassroots level.

The female sewers in both rural and urban areas are producing mainly garments like blouse, petticoat, shemiz, kamiz, salwar, scurf, maxi, baby wears, shirts, pants, fotua, caps and other readymade wears.

Talking to BSS Mamtaz Begum, 28, and Ful Banu, 30, of village Boalmari under Roumari upazila in Kurigram said they sew baby clothes, while their husbands sell those in local markets and earn about Taka 18,000 per month.

Our sons and daughters are going to schools and we are now living very well, though the days in past were very bad, they said.

School-going students Mahfuza, 15, Parveen, 16, and Hanifa, 14 of Boraikandi village in the same upazila said they sew clothes, earn money and studying at Boraikandi Alia Madrasha.

Women who have marked success said that they are now using sanitary latrines, their children are going to schools, taking care of their health, got access to safe water, preventing child marriage and dowry and feel empowered in family decision making.

With their efforts in the handloom sector, most of the successful women have been cultivating vegetables and fruits at their homesteads.