Several thousand women from about 20 villages in Bogura’s Sherpur upazila are becoming self-reliant by making handicrafts, playing a key role in earning foreign currency as these handmade products are exported to different countries.

The artisans make a variety of products like hamper baskets, floor mats and rugs of different sizes while they are able to work from the comfort of their homes.

They collect raw materials like palm leaf, kans grass, palm and jute fibers from six companies operating in the area and are paid upon completion of the orders.

The companies have provided nearly 6,000 women of these villages under five unions, including Bhabanipur, Garidah, Kusumbi and Simabari, a scope to become active economically.

On a visit to Hapunia village, this reporter saw women at some households busy making baskets. They do this work after completing their household chores, villagers added.

Each artisan earns between Tk 3,500 and Tk 10,000 a month, depending on the number of orders carried out, they told The Daily Star.

Abdur Rashid, a rickshaw puller of the village, recently built a sturdy brick home, thanks to the collective earning of the family members including his wife.

“My wife, daughter–in-law and daughter all make handicrafts at home. Together, they earn at least Tk 20,000 a month,” he said.

Nargis Akter, 37, another resident of Hapunia village, said she gets Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000 a month. She has been working at the factory of BD Creation, one of the six companies, for the last ten years.

“More than 95 percent of the women of this village are involved in making handicrafts.”

Zosna Begum, 35, said she learnt this craft when she was just a little girl. Women here never go to Dhaka to look for work in garment factories as there are plenty of work opportunities in these villages, she added.

Rarid Hasan, area manager of BD Creation, said, “We have over 500 home artisans and 200 factory workers, who are mostly women. The home artisans collect the raw materials from us and sell the finished products back to us.”

He said there are six companies -- Sun Trade, Classical Handmade Products BD, Dhaka Handicraft, ASK Handicraft, Crafts Village and Creative BD -- that collectively produce handicrafts worth Tk 2 crore every month from Bogura.

Mostafa Ahmed Pias, managing director of BD Creation, said they produce 200 different items from Bogura and export those to countries like Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, China, India, USA, and the Middle East.

“To bag orders, we participate in one fair in Germany and two in Hong Kong, where all the big buyers attend.”

In Hapunia village alone, there are six factories -- two of BD creation, three of Classical Handmade and one of Sun Trade.

Rabiul Hasan, production manager at Classical Handmade, said, “We employ nearly 200 artisans in each factory in the village.”

The first handicraft factory in this area was setup in 1980, he said. It has grown over the years due to the availability of raw materials and workers.

“The raw materials mostly come from nearby villages and the char areas of Jamuna River.”