Ornamental needlework on female clothes has become a very effective venture in bringing self-reliance to hundreds of the unemployed, poor and distressed women rural women in recent years.
Many of the rural women have already changed fortune and improved life standard by earning through embroidering, spangling and ornamental stitching on saree, three pieces and many other female clothes. Like in the previous years, the successful women have been earning double incomes before the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festivities and passing the busiest time now following huge demand of their artistic handworks.
According to the rural women and small-scale entrepreneurs, the embroidery works add additional values to the female clothes being marketed at higher price in the country’s sophisticated markets, including capital city.
“Ornamental embroidering and spangling on female clothes is expanding fast attracting more women following huge demand of quality needlework in markets,” said President of Rangpur Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry Anwara Ferdousi Poly. “Over the years, the home-based embroidery works have now got the shape of a growing cottage industry reducing poverty in rural areas with brighter prospect also to change and strengthen the rural macro-economy,” she added.
Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha said the needlework venture has been helping many rural women in winning over abject poverty to dream better future for their children in building a middle income nation.
“Around 2,500 rural unemployed and distressed women, victims of domestic violence, divorcees, widows and physically challenged women, rehabilitated by RDRS Bangladesh have so far achieved self-reliance under its various assistance, she added.
Local entrepreneurs Chandona Ghosh, Rokeya and Shilpi of Thakurgaon, Shahanaj Begum and Chand Mia of Badarganj upazila in Rangpur, Abdus Sahed of Kurigram and ‘Karchupi’ artisan Arzina Begum of Syedpur in Nilphamari narrated their successes.
Successful entrepreneur of embroidery industry Chand Mia of village Chandkuthi Danga in Rangpur said he has expanded the venture generating employment for many rural women and created expert spangling, ‘Chumki’ and embroidery artisans.
“I supply simple saree, ‘Chumki’, anti- pipe, dhania puthi, tire puthi, pet-pipe, phooljori, laljori, sadajori, dhole Chumki, stitching inputs, yarns and threads to the women to make those attractive by stitching ornamental needle works,” he added.
Most of the women, including housewives, divorcees, young girls, adolescents, school and college going girls, have been setting ‘Chumki’ on female clothes during off periods at homes in between daily normal activities to earn additional incomes.
Some 1,400 rural women have achieved self-reliance through embroidery, ornamental stitching, ‘jari’, ‘puthi’ and spangling works on saree, three-pieces, scarf and other clothes in many villages under Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon alone.
Local entrepreneur Mamuni Begum, like many others, of Shibganj supplies inputs to the rural women in the area and they earn well every week through stitching, embroidery and ‘Chumki’ works on saree and other female clothes.
Like many other successful rural women, ‘Chumki’ artisans Rasheda Begum, Minaki, Saleha Khatun, Kohinoor and Shabana of Nilphamari said they earn Taka 6,000 to 8,000 every month through embroidery works to lead better life with their family members.
Some 1,400 rural women have achieved self-reliance through embroidery, ornamental stitching, ‘jari’, ‘puthi’ and spangling works on saree, three-pieces, scarf and other clothes in many villages under Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon alone.
Executive Director of Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman said ornamental stitching has become a growing cottage industry sector and many entrepreneurs have launched small- scale enterprises to change rural economy.
