Dola is a seventh grader. She is worried about their poverty-ridden family at this small age. Her father, a tea vendor, is quite unable to bear the expenses of the family. She studies at Kushtia High School staying at a maternal uncle’s house. Despite all obstacles, she is determined to continue her study. So, she was searching for an earning source. Accordingly, she came to Bashundhara Shuvosangho sewing training centre. The minor girl first hesitated to express her eagerness to receive training at the centre. The authorities of the training centre, however, enrolled her as a trainee considering her enthusiasm. She completed the training sincerely and received a sewing machine from Bashundhara Group. Now, she is stitching her dream to be self-reliant.
The journey towards solvency is not confined to Dola. A total of 40 women in Kushtia sadar and Daulatpur upazilas have availed themselves of this great opportunity.
Imdadul Haq Milan, noted litterateur and Editor-in-Chief of the daily Kaler Kantho, handed over the sewing machines to the trainees through a function at Shuvosangho regional office in Kushtia and Nuruzzaman Biswas Degree College in Daulatpur recently.
Former lawmaker from Kushtia-1 constituency Rezaul Haque Chowdhury, deputy commissioner Ehtasham Reza, sadar upazila nirbahi officer Partha Protim Seal, Nuruzzaman Biswas Degree College teachers and Shuvosangho director Zakaria Zaman, among others, were present.
The recipients of the sewing machines turned emotional and shed tears with joy as the country’s leading business conglomerate emerged as a saviour for them.
Hailing Bashundhara Group for social welfare projects, former lawmaker Rezaul Haque Chowdhury said, “Driving the poor women to solvency through sewing training is a long-term venture of the largest industrial conglomerate. I wish further expansion of the initiative into other upazilas in Kushtia.”
Marjina Khatun, programme officer at Department of Women Affairs in Kushtia, said, “Bashundhara Group is giving sewing machines to destitute women after imparting training to them. It is a commendable initiative which will make disadvantaged section of the society self-reliant.”
Abandoned by husband, Hawa Khatun along with children is struggling for survival at Molla Teghoria village in Kushtia sadar upazila.
“The training will help me turn around. Bashundhara Group has created an opportunity for me to be solvent. I would like to make best use of it,” she said.
Maya Khatun, a tenth grader at Housing Estate High School in Kushtia, is about to discontinue study due to poverty. She is the eldest of three children of day-labourer Manzu Islam. Now, her father is sick. Failure to pay tuition fees has affected her study. She along with her parents lives in a dilapidated house. The house has no tube-well or a bathroom. The family members bring water from nearby places. To overcome the poverty, Maya wants to earn money. She received training at Bashundhara Shuvosangho centre and got a sewing machine.
“I was worried about my family future. Poverty attacked our family like octopus. However, Bashundhara Group turned out to be a saviour. Now I will be able to say goodbye to financial hardship and continue study,” she said.
Bina Khatun was a victim of child marriage. Poverty accompanied her in husband’s house. Her day-labourer husband Delwar Hossain has been suffering from lung disease for nearly two decades. However, her son is studying civil engineering while daughter is a seventh grader. She is determined to educate her children alongside meeting family expenditure through sewing works.
Many other trainees like Hawa Khatun, Maya Khatun and Bina are dreaming to be self-reliant.
Alia Akter, a women of Joyrampur village in Daulatpur upazila, has got her second life. She used to earn from tailoring amid illness of her husband Ziarul Islam. A fire incident changed her fate. Household belongings including her sewing machine were gutted.
Imparting further training to Alia, Bashundhara Shuvosangho presented her with a new machine to weave lost dream.
“Fire incident turned our house into a pile of charred wreckage. Losing my sewing machine, I plunged into deep crisis. However, Bashundhara Group has given me a new machine, a new hope. May Allah allow the owner of the largest business conglomerate to continue this charity and stand by the helpless people,” she said.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
