Kaluhati shoe village becomes vibrant ahead of Eid

Owners along with their workers of most of the shoe and other footwear factories at Kaluhati shoe village in Rajshahi district are passing their busiest days ahead of the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festival.

Sources concerned said consumers’ demand for attractive design and good quality products has doubled this year.

In the village, having a pitch carpeting road and situated nearly 30 km away from Rajshahi city, the factories are seen manufacturing adequate finished products to meet the gradually mounting demands of shoes and other footwear items in the region.

More than 5,000 shoe workers are working in the factories while another 2,000 women labourers are making shoe boxes.

Most of them are working relentlessly to recoup the losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly during its worst situation.

The village under Charghat upazila is famous for its footwear products among businessmen from different parts of the country. The village has around 50 shoe factories employing around 6,200 male and female workers.

They supply shoes to most of the districts in the northern region. the factory owners are getting massive responses from all quarters which is a positive sign of furthermore expansion of the business.

Apart from working in the factories, many women have already become small-scale entrepreneurs in manufacturing shoe packets, bags, key rings, purses and wallets.

The families are taking advantage of establishing such types of factories with small investments with their family members successfully.

The sources said each of the factories is now functioning round the clock ahead of Eid. The demand for footwear produced in these factories increased heavily this time in comparison to the past.

Shoe-maker Firoj Ahmed said each of the workers earns at least Tk 12,000-15,000 during the Eid season. Abida Sultana, the owner of a packet and box factory, said their goods are sold in both wholesale and retail markets. She said, “We receive more orders in the Eid season.”

“Additional 2,500 labourers remain engaged in various works like designing, sewing, cutting, sole making and painting,” said Sohel Rana, general secretary of Kaluhati Shoe Industry Owners Cooperative Limited.

He started this business with Tk 20,000 around twenty years back and his capital investment is around Tk 25 lakh at present.