Many of the tea garden workers spend their days getting a meal of Panta Bhat (soaking rice), while some others struggle to secure even a single meal a day.
With low incomes and even lower living standards, the children of tea workers have long lacked the courage to dream of a better future.
However, for 20 young women from tea worker families, a new dream has been added to their lives through three months of training and the facility of a sewing machine for each of Bashundhara Group’s Shuvosangho initiatives.
These young women of Lalchand Tea Estate in Chunarughat of Habiganj were given sewing machines on Saturday.
Prior to this, the country’s leading industrial conglomerate, Bashundhara Group, in partnership with the country’s top voluntary organisation, Shuvosangho, provided them with three months of sewing training.
Khairun Akter, former vice-chairman of the upazila parishad and a prominent tea worker advocate, said that the training and sewing machines have brought new hopes and aspirations to the lives of these tea workers.
At the sewing machine distribution ceremony, she expressed her gratitude to Bashundhara Group and emphasised that if other companies followed the example and stood by the tea workers, they would be able to rebuild their lives in a meaningful way.
She also urged that other tea gardens, like Lalchand, should also receive support for their underprivileged workers.
One of the recipients, Trishna Roy, a tea worker’s daughter of Lalchand Tea Garden, is currently studying in the third year of her Bachelor's programme at Brindaban Government College in Habiganj.
Upon receiving the training and sewing machine from Bashundhara Shuvosangho, she joyfully performed a song for the attendees, expressing the life of a tea worker through her lyrics.
Trishna shared that her family struggles to make ends meet on her parents’ insufficient income and she is managing her education with great difficulty.
With the training and sewing machine, she now plans to support her family financially while continuing her studies.
Most of the 20 young women who received the training and sewing machines are also currently studying at different educational institutions in the area.
They now dream of a better future, one where they can earn a living through sewing while pursuing education.
Prof Syed Mizba Uddin of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), chief guest of the event, said that no one can keep tea workers in a state of neglect if they don’t want to be neglected.
He expressed confidence that the training and sewing machines would help these young women rebuild their lives.
Sujata Santal, who has battled visual impairment and poverty, was deeply moved by receiving a sewing machine and training.
She expressed her gratitude, saying, “With this sewing machine, I can now contribute to my family’s needs.”
The ceremony also featured speeches from trainer Sabikun Nahar Sabina, District Correspondent of Kaler Kantho Shah Fakhruluzzaman, Shuvosangho Director Zakaria Zaman, Monohardi College lecturer Kamrul Islam and various other dignitaries.
Notably, in addition to Lalchand Tea Garden, 20 individuals from Shaistaganj and 20 others from Habiganj Sadar were also trained and provided with sewing machines.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
