RANGPUR, Dec 11: Johra Begum (30), wife of Sabir Mia at Char Nazirdaho village in Kawnia upazila of the district had been struggling a lot owing to acute poverty even four years ago.
It was so troublesome for her to maintain her family of six members with the petty income of her husband who was a day labourer. "It was so difficult for us to manage two meals per day for our children let alone three meals." She said adding that "We had to pass many days in near starvation." Then she began thinking to get rid of extreme poverty by her own contribution, Johora said.
After struggling for a long time, eventually she had found the way to salvage their impoverished family. She learned the skill of making doormat (Papos), thanks to a training she received at Mou doormat factory in Kawnia upazila. Thus she found the way to get rid of acute poverty by contributing financially to her family income.
Like Johra thousands of vulnerable people especially women in the district are directly engaged in weaving doormat in different doormat factories under the district and thus they are supporting their families by earning around Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000 per month.
A number of doormat factories, established in different areas under the district including Tajhat and Mahiganj area in Rangpur city, different areas of Kawnia upazila which have created job opportunities for thousands of destitute women, sources said.
Talking to The Financial Express some female workers said that they weave doormat as per designs and orders from their supply alongside their daily household chores, they added.
Mukul Mia, owner of Mou factory in Kawnia upazila said doormat weaving has become a blessing for the extreme poor women of different areas in the upazila as it has provided them a way to earn their living.
A good number of workers mainly vulnerable women are working in the factory and producing different varieties of doormats which have drawn the attention of the buyers, Mukul said.
The creative weavers introduce something new and come up with fashionable varieties of rug. They weave yarn and turn them into different qualities and kinds which have a huge demand among the buyers, he further said.
He also laid emphasis on government's patronisation for further expansion of the business, he added.
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