Cattail ropes benefit rural women

Products made from the ropes of cattail (reed) plants by the women of remote areas of Bhola are making their way to different countries of the world.

More than 15,000 women of Sadar, Doulatkhan, Lalmohan, Tazumuddin, Borhanuddin and Charfesson upazilas in Bhola became financially solvent making rope from cattail plants grown in the wetlands.

Cattail, known as hogla in Bengali, is a tall grass-like plant of the bulrush family that grows naturally in wetlands or by water bodies.

Various products including basket, seat cover, rug, wall mat, floor mat, vas, women’s handbag and various decorative goods made from these cattail plant rope are now being exported to other countries.

These products are exported to various countries of Asia, Europe and South America, including Japan, China, Hong Kong, India, France, Italy, Germany, Argentina, and Brazil.

Additional income from making rope alongside their household work has brought prosperity to the destitute women from remote areas of Bhola.

According to related sources, about 24 years ago, the production of ropes from cattail leaves started in Bhola under the initiative of an industrial company in Dhaka called BD Creation.

The initiative has now become popular among the local women, though it did not receive much response in the beginning.

The company provides the women with cattail leaves for free to make ropes. The workers are paid Tk 110 for about 1,500 feet of rope.

These ropes are collected straight from the worker’s homes and sent to the factory in Dhaka where various products are made from the ropes and sold both in the domestic and international markets.

Siraj Molla, a rope wholesaler from Charsamaia union of Sadar upazila, said about 50 wholesalers in the district collect cattail leaves from different areas to supply to the rope weavers.

“We pay them Tk 110 for 1,500 feet of rope and the company buys it from us for Tk 210. An increasing number of women are becoming interested in the rope making to provide their family with some additional income,” he said.

Lucky Begum and Jahanara, from West Charnoabad village of Bapta union, said that they make rope in their free time after finishing household chores. They can make about 1,500 feet of rope daily depending on how much free time they have.

Rubina Akhtar, from the Bhelumia Char area, explained the rope-making process. “The leaves have to be dried in the sun for a day or two. Then the long leaves are divided into two or three parts and twisted by hand to form a rope.”

Housewives Rehana Begum and Rabeya Begum of Charchifli village have been making cattail leaf ropes for the past six years. Other family members pitch in if the workload is high. They claimed that they are being deprived of a fair wage compared to their hard work.

Kazi Enamul Haque Bachchu, BD Creation’s area manager of Bhola, said that they purchase the ropes from the wholesalers and send to the product manufacturers in Dhaka.

“Many products are made in the factory by using cattail leaf ropes along with other materials. Approximately 6,250,000 yard rope is produced in the district per month,” he said.

Rabiul Hasan, assistant general manager of BD Creation, said the company was the first in the country to commercially make products from cattail leaf ropes.

“Apart from this, we also make products from jute, bamboo, and cane. A large number of women in the remote areas of Bhola have mastered the skill of rope making after getting involved in our programme” he said.

In reply to a query, he said that they are aware of the wage increase demand of the workers and are considering it.

Bhola’s Department of Women Affairs (DWA) Deputy Director (Additional) Md Iqbal Hossain said a lot of cattail plants grow naturally in many wetlands of Bhola due to the geological location of the district.

He said there is an opportunity to make the rope weavers more efficient through training and the DWA is taking the initiative to train rural women in various economically beneficial trades.

Cattail plants have many other uses. The seeds of the plant can be used as cattle feed and the fibre as building materials. In some countries, this fibre is used in making decorative papers, he informed.