Delwara Khatun (50), Sadhupara Mohalla of Pabna Town Sadar became disoriented about her family, after the death of her husband 18 years ago. She gave one of her son in marriage, she also has two children in her family. There was tension in the family of five members.
The son worked as a daily wage earner and ran the family without food. In such a situation, the Deloirs started working in Jhoot factory. From there he earns Tk10 to 12 thousand per month. Now the income of mother and son has brought a lot of ease in their life. Not only in the life of Delwara Khatun, such stories are spread in the lives of thousands of other poor people. In whose dark life the false factories have brought light.
Many old people are also living their own expenses without waiting for anyone in their last life. Pabna's hosiery industry has opened the door to such a possibility with jhoot cloth i.e leftover cloth from garments. Jhoot cloth is used to make various clothes including genji. Which has gained reputation abroad. According to the data of Pabna Hosiery Manufacturers Group, the annual income from jhoot fabric is about Tk 1.5 billion. And about 30 thousand men and women have been employed in this industry.
Hosiery traders said that samples and cutting cloths are thrown away every day in garment factories of different industrial areas including Dhaka, Chittagong, Gazipur. Which is known as jhoot cloth. The Pabna hosiery traders are making various clothes including high quality gejin by buying that jhut cloth.
Mamun Hossain, the owner of Mamun Hosiery in Sadhupara Mahalla, said, "After first buying the jhoot cloth, processing and cutting is done. Then the sewing machine is used to make various wearable clothes including gingham. After that various designs are printed and packaging is done. After passing through several such steps, the manufactured cloth is going all over the country. The reputation is being exported abroad as well.
According to the information provided by the businessmen, in the last decade, small entrepreneurs have built 542 hosiery factories for making genji from jute cloth in various villages around Pabna Sadar Upazila. Every year these factories produce 18 to 20 crore pieces of Genji. The market value of which is Tk 1,200 to 1,500 crores.
Alal Uddin Pramanik, proprietor of SA Hosiari, said, "I have been doing this business for about 15 years. 70 to 75 workers work in my factory. Excluding expenses, the profit is one to one and a half lakh taka per month. It can be said that jhoot cloth has revived our hosiery industry. The fortune of many traders has returned to this business.
Alhaj Abdul Aziz, the owner of Russell Garments, said, 'I used to work in garments. 10 years ago I left that job and brought 2/3 sewing machines to my area and started working. And there was no looking back. Now my factory has 100 machines and 200 workers. The garments made here are being exported to various countries including India, Malaysia to meet the needs of the country. If we get interest-free loans from the government, we can employ more people in this sector.
Two workers named Rumi Khatun and Sathi Khatun said, "Many unemployed youths and poor helpless women of the village are earning at least Tk 15 thousand per month by working in the factory. Many people have lost their families. Husband is happy with children. Jhoot factories have changed our fortunes.
Two senior workers named Chand Ali and Montu Pramanik said, 'We become a burden to the family at this age. Many boys do not want to support. But this jute factory removed our troubles. We now run our own expenses. No one has to wait to pay. Pabna Hosiery Manufacturers Group President Monir Hossain Popi said that the hosiery industry of this district has a reputation throughout the country. It has gained a lot of reputation abroad. Because of which, our Genji and other textiles are being exported to India, Malaysia. We want to export to many more countries. For this, financial support is needed. Because we have little capital. The businessmen of Pabna will bring glory to the country if they get interest-free loans.
President of Pabna Chamber of Commerce and Industry Saiful Alam Swapan Chowdhury said, 'The past corona epidemic and the war situation in the foreign world including Ukraine has pushed the hosiery industry of Pabna. Many businessmen had closed their factories. Slowly came back to life. He thinks that the government should come forward to support businessmen in the expansion of this industry and export of textiles.
ZH
