Export of jute products a boon for Satkhira women

Farida Parvin, a housewife in Sultanpur village under Sadar upazila of Satkhira district, now has her own source of income — making jute products for a private organisation involved in exporting those.

Like Farida, a number of women in the village are now earning money after receiving training from Rishilpi International Handicrafts Organisation.

Farida has two sons and a daughter and her husband Abdur Razzaque used to run a tea stall to cover the expenses of the five-member family.

In 2016, Farida joined Rishilpi International Handicrafts Organisation after hearing about it from another woman and received training there. Now her monthly income is Tk 5,000-5,500.

The raw materials are provided by the organisation and as per their demands, she makes jute bags, and wall and floor mats.

Tereja Mandal, another housewife of the village, said she is now able to bear the entire expenses of her family and the medical treatment of her husband, who is paralysed, by making jute products.

“The organisation provides Tk 300-350 per jute bag to me and Tk 2,500-3,000 for each wall and floor mat,” she said.

Around 7,000 women are now involved in making handicrafts for the organisation which has proved to be a boon for them.

European countries are the main buyers of jute products, and every year, jute products worth Tk 9-10 crore are exported from Satkhira. The jute products are being exported to Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Finland and Switzerland in Europe and to Australia as well.

Sanjay Sarkar, product manager of Rishilpi International Handicrafts, said the organisation has been exporting jute products after giving training to 7,000 women in the district.

“The demand for jute rope and jute cotton is huge in European countries,” he said.

A woman worker can earn Tk 5,000-6,000 each month by making products for the organisation, he added.