Jute goods ventures rise in Rangpur
Friday, 29 April 2011
Our Correspondent
RANGPUR, Apr 28: An increase in demand for jute products, especially handicraft goods has made small enterprises of the north enthusiastic and optimistic of going ahead with ventures. More than 150 enterprises in Rangpur division are now producing jute goods such as mats, travel bags, vanity bags, wall mats, sandles, pen-stands, wallets, curtains and various kinds of showpieces, as per the data of various commercial banks and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). Many of them have opened showrooms at the district and divisional headquarters to display and sell their products. Most of the enterprises produce jute goods at their own factories and supply them to Dhaka and other parts of the country. "Though marginal, we are running our business lucratively," said Masuduzzaman Tuheen, director of Begum Rokeya Craft at Payerabandh under Mithapukur Upazila in Rangpur. The jute goods' demand has risen in the country for several reasons, Tuheen said. First of all, the craftsmen can procure jute as raw materials for jute goods easily as it grows in abundance in the region, he said. Tuheen added, information technology, mainly the internet, has opened up many opportunities for them to get elegant designs from various handicraft sites. "We can produce very fashionable jute goods now which was not possible in the past. A number of government and non-government organisations, including Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), BSCIC, Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC), Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation, RDRS Bangladesh and CARE Bangladesh, have been organising trainings for the craftsmen on producing jute goods. About 26,000 female workers in five northern districts have so far been trained up in making and dealing in various jute goods. JDPC has been trying to establish linkages with marketing. The centre was set up in 2002 in Rangpur to promote jute products. "We are acting as a bridge between the commercial buyers and enterprisers to share business information," said Saher Hossain, regional marketing officer of JDPC. Tuheen alleged that many of the famous handicraft companies in Dhaka purchase jute products from them, but they sell the products with their own trade name in their showrooms. He said some enterprises of the north display and sell their jute goods at different fairs across the country. Anwar Hossain, proprietor of Beauty Handicrafts Factory at Mongla Kutti village under Pirgachha Upazila in Rangpur, said he took part in almost all the handicraft fairs and exhibitions across the country. He said he took part in the Baishakhi Fair at Bangla Academy in Dhaka that concluded recently. He sold Satranji (jute made multi-coloured mats) worth of about Tk 0.2 million. Mosharraf Hossain, director of Sonar Bangla Handicrafts in Rangpur said, 50 craftsmen are working in his factory who had previously taken part in trainings at JDPC in Rangpur, Each of them earns around Tk 7,000 to Tk 8,000 a month by producing jute goods, he added. Hossain said, Bangladeshi jute goods have its demand not only in the domestic markets but also in foreign markets. He said he had received an order for supplying jute bags for HP laptops in China. He participated in the bid through internet and got the order. Unicol Solutions, a buying house in Dhaka, purchases jute-made Satranji, mobile bags, vanity bags, and shopping bags from him for a Japanese buyer, he added.
RANGPUR, Apr 28: An increase in demand for jute products, especially handicraft goods has made small enterprises of the north enthusiastic and optimistic of going ahead with ventures. More than 150 enterprises in Rangpur division are now producing jute goods such as mats, travel bags, vanity bags, wall mats, sandles, pen-stands, wallets, curtains and various kinds of showpieces, as per the data of various commercial banks and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). Many of them have opened showrooms at the district and divisional headquarters to display and sell their products. Most of the enterprises produce jute goods at their own factories and supply them to Dhaka and other parts of the country. "Though marginal, we are running our business lucratively," said Masuduzzaman Tuheen, director of Begum Rokeya Craft at Payerabandh under Mithapukur Upazila in Rangpur. The jute goods' demand has risen in the country for several reasons, Tuheen said. First of all, the craftsmen can procure jute as raw materials for jute goods easily as it grows in abundance in the region, he said. Tuheen added, information technology, mainly the internet, has opened up many opportunities for them to get elegant designs from various handicraft sites. "We can produce very fashionable jute goods now which was not possible in the past. A number of government and non-government organisations, including Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB), BSCIC, Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC), Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation, RDRS Bangladesh and CARE Bangladesh, have been organising trainings for the craftsmen on producing jute goods. About 26,000 female workers in five northern districts have so far been trained up in making and dealing in various jute goods. JDPC has been trying to establish linkages with marketing. The centre was set up in 2002 in Rangpur to promote jute products. "We are acting as a bridge between the commercial buyers and enterprisers to share business information," said Saher Hossain, regional marketing officer of JDPC. Tuheen alleged that many of the famous handicraft companies in Dhaka purchase jute products from them, but they sell the products with their own trade name in their showrooms. He said some enterprises of the north display and sell their jute goods at different fairs across the country. Anwar Hossain, proprietor of Beauty Handicrafts Factory at Mongla Kutti village under Pirgachha Upazila in Rangpur, said he took part in almost all the handicraft fairs and exhibitions across the country. He said he took part in the Baishakhi Fair at Bangla Academy in Dhaka that concluded recently. He sold Satranji (jute made multi-coloured mats) worth of about Tk 0.2 million. Mosharraf Hossain, director of Sonar Bangla Handicrafts in Rangpur said, 50 craftsmen are working in his factory who had previously taken part in trainings at JDPC in Rangpur, Each of them earns around Tk 7,000 to Tk 8,000 a month by producing jute goods, he added. Hossain said, Bangladeshi jute goods have its demand not only in the domestic markets but also in foreign markets. He said he had received an order for supplying jute bags for HP laptops in China. He participated in the bid through internet and got the order. Unicol Solutions, a buying house in Dhaka, purchases jute-made Satranji, mobile bags, vanity bags, and shopping bags from him for a Japanese buyer, he added.