When the distressed women were facing troubles with severe hardship for financial constraints, a cooperative society namely Kaliganj Poura Mahila Samabaya Samity shown them to regain their hope. They provided training to the hopeless and helpless how to stitch their own fates with needles and thread on cloths. Now they are almost established in the family and society, leading life with dignity.
When this correspondent visited the society in Kaliganj town, talked to a number of women members engaged in stitching and other activities. Housewife Mita Biswas said she has been working with the society for past few months. Receiving training from the centre, she receives fresh cloth for new order and returns the same after working with needles and thread regular.
Mita said she had been delivering the ready items from her home, while now she submits the same to the society and earns more than she was receiving earlier. Her works, especially, the Nakshikatha (embroidered quilt) has a good demand and reputation to the consumers, she said.
A number of women were seen working with three-piece, embroidered quilt, show piece and other items. Some of them were putting smaller pieces of pearls on the works. Most of the women belong to poor and disadvantaged families. A good number of them are divorcees and abandoned. Many of them spend time abide their family work at any time of the day, they said.
The cutting master has been helping the director of the society Mina Bhattacharya. Mina has been managing everything where about 200 women are engaged in working. In her reaction, Mina Bhattacharya said she established the society about three years back considering the socio-economic state of the distressed women in the locality.
The women return their ordered goods and receive cash to avoid harassment.
The society members deposit Taka 10 every week for administrative and maintenance purposes. They manage the salary of the trainer from the amount
An ordinary quality of Nakshikantha costs Taka 5,000 to 6,000. Clients from Dhaka city and other towns rush at the centre to collect readymade items in cash, Mina Bhattacharya said.
Kaliganj Poura Mahila Samabaya Samity chief advisor and Mobarakgak sugar mills limited workers’ union welfare association general secretary Golam Rasul said most of the society members belong to poor and disadvantaged families. Now each and everybody run their respective families well with their own work.
The society do not encourage micro-credit or any other credit related activities. Rather, they encourage women in working with their own efforts with skill training from the centre free of cost. He and a number of local leaders have been conducting publicity to make the platform sound, Golam Rasul said.
