BOGRA, July 6: Over 500 net artisans across twelve upazilas of Bogra district have become self-reliant evolving the job from last few years taking short term loan facilities from Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar.
The artisans are passing busy time from the last month to prepare demanded nets as the rainy season has begun in the country. The profession of the making hand nets run the round the year but they keep themselves busy during the rainy season.
To provide the job effectively another 2000 people involved directly or indirectly with the profession to manage the family expenditure.
To prepare the nine feet long handnet the artisans spend 20 to 30 days and Tk 300 to 400 paying for cotton. A quality handnet is being sold in the retail market Tk from 900 to 1200 but the price depend on quality.
"I have started the job five year back with the assistance of the family members but I have no academic training on the profession." said artisan Khoteza Begum, 45, at Mustafapur village of the district. She said, "I make around Tk 1200 to 1400 every week weaving different quality handnets"
The wholesalers from different adjacent districts visit the locality to purchase the handnets from the weavers directly with the satisfactory price. The wholesalers sell them to the customers of low lying further corners of the country in the rainy season as it is used as the trap to catch fishes in the waterbody, low land, haor, river, canal and pond in the rainy season.
An artisan Tahera Bibi, 50, at Khunihara village under Dupchanchia upazila of the district said, she has started the small cottage from last five years taking short term loan from Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar and she is self-reliant. Everyday she makes around Tk 100 to 150 weaving handnets sitting home costing trifling money.
In a recent visit the correspondent found the male members of the area are helping the artisans by processing their produced materials aiming financially self-reliant across the area. The wholesalers from distant places visit the noted Dhaphat, at Dupchanchia municipality area, on Thursday purchasing the handnets.
Field assistance of Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar Dupchanchia unit Asim Kumar Das said, "Poor and marginal adolescents, widow and housewife are becoming self-reliant involving with the profession. We are disbursing the short term loan facilities amid marginal weaver to run the jobs approximately."
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Source: The Financial Express