There were a crowd of people in the left side of Jamalpur Bazar, which is located in the area crossing Sadullapur and Pirganj in Gaibandha. In that place, under a canopy, in front of some chairs arranged in order, new 20 pieces of sewing machines have been placed. And beside each of the machine, was sitting a woman with beaming smiles on their faces. They came from under-privileged families, including teenager girls, widowed and middle aged women.

The reporter talked to one of the teenaged girls named Ritu. Her father, Rejaul Karim has been suffering from illness and her mother Marium Begum isn’t able to execute the expense of the family even after doing some small works. Ritu Akter has passed the HSC somehow by making loans. However, due to financial insufficiency, she couldn’t manage the money needed for admitting into Bacheor of Arts (BA) Degree.  

Ritu was asked how she would utilize the chance, and she replied, “I took no time after I’ve heard the news of sewing training initiative of Shuvosangho. After taking the training, I made some clothes. I just had the need of a sewing machine and this need was fulfilled by Bashundhara Group. Today, they will prove it to me and the group made me self-reliant.”

Not only Ritu, 10 other women have fulfilled their dream of becoming self-reliant with the support provided by Bashundhara Group.

20 poor women of Jamalpur village under Sadullahpur of Gaibandha were provided with sewing machine. The editor of The Daily Kaler Kantho, Emdadul Haque Milon, has distributed the sewing machines to the poor women on behalf of Bashundhara Group, the largest industrial conglomerate of the country.

Under the presidency of Shuvosangho director Zakaria Zaman, in the program also present Sadulyapur Upazila Chairman Shahria Khan Biplab, Jamalpur Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Zahid Hasan Mandal Shubo, Jamalpur Girls School Principal Anwarul Islam, Sadulyapur Press Club President Tajul Islam.

These 20 women were getting training at the Shuvosangho training center for quite some time. They now know how to cut and sew many kinds of clothes. Every day they were weaving dreams in the sewing machine. Bashundhara Group has opened the door to fulfill their dream today. The condition of Risha Akhtar's family is also very measurable. Her father, Rashidul Islam, a laborer, lost one of his legs after falling from a tree. He used to earn his livelihood by stretching his legs in a local rice mill. Mother Rekha Begum works as a soil cutter. Risha wants to do something for the family. She came to know that Bashundhara Group was offering sewing training through Shuvosangho. As now he was given a chance, he prayed for everyone and said, 'A great opportunity has come into my life. I want to prove myself as an independent woman by working after taking the training. I got a new machine. I will get a lot of work now. There will be good earnings. Besides studying myself, I can help my parents. I want to be a woman entrepreneur one day.

Rabeya Basri is also studying in eighth grade. Imprint of poverty is present in his clothes and speech. But the girl has infinite courage. Frankly said her father Wazed Akand works as a farmer and mother as a housekeeper to somehow run a family of five members. They are two brothers and sisters. Lack of money has made it impossible to conduct their studies.

Rabeya knows how to sew. Now if she can learn a little more, she can continue her education by doing sewing. Rabeya wants to stand on her own feet. So he came to undergo training at Shuvosangho Training Center funded by Bashundhara Group. “If you pass the training here, you will be given a new sewing machine from the Bashundhara Group,” Rabeya seems to have heard this from someone. Since then, she has been coming here regularly, working very attentively. Such desire brought Rabeya to the Shuvosangho training center. From today, those dreams of her have started to grow. Now she owns a sewing machine. The impression of poverty on the face also disappeared in an instant. Rabeya says in a voice full of confidence, "Who is stopping me now? Bashundhara Group showed me the way to become independent. I can get on well with my parents now. I will be able to continue my studies”

 Like Rabeya, all the trainees had faces full of confidence.

Emdadul Haque Milon said, "There is no shortage of wealthy people in this country, but not everyone has the humane sense to stand by people. The great exception here’s the Bashundhara group. Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, the chairman of this country's largest business conglomerate, has aimed to make helpless women self-reliant gradually in all districts and upazilas and to build training centers. Now, women will stand on their own feet and help in the development journey of family, society and country. If women advance, the society will advance. I declare today on his instructions, not only this Jamalpur village, but everywhere those who take training prove themselves worthy. Bashundhara Group will also consider their employment. Scholarships will be given to those who are not able to study despite having keen interest due to lack of money.”

Such an experience was completely new to the people of this remote village. When the training started in a rented building, interest started to sprout. Distressed women from far and wide started to come after getting the news of support from Bashundhara Group. This was the scene on the day of distribution of sewing machines.

Afsana Begum, the rickshaw puller's wife, came from the remote end of the village. He said, 'I didn't get a chance to get training. But I pray from my heart for Bashundhara.”

Upazila Chairman Shahria Khan Biplab said Bashundhara Group has created other examples of humanitarian activities. The initiative to make the women of this remote village of Sadullhapur self-reliant is now spreading through the mouth of people. The presence of Emdadul Haque Milan with such a great work proves how much Bashundhara is dedicated to human welfare.

UP Chairman Zahid Hasan Mandal wished long life to all concerned along with Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and said poor women will benefit a lot if this training center runs consistently. May the good works of Shubhosangho be continued!

Tajul Islam Reza, President of the Press Club said, “Basundhara Group has responsibility for this land and its people in every action. The way thousands of people have been given food for a month during the Corona period is highly appreciable. We are constantly seeing service work like building houses for the needy, giving scholarships to students and making women self-reliant. We welcome their deep dedication for good work.”

Anwarul Islam, head teacher of the local girls' school, said many of those who were given sewing machines are students of his school. This training will help girls to be brave.

The poor girls, young women and housewives who were trainees, approached Imdadul Haque Milon, the editor-in-chief of Kaler Kantha and fiction writer, and opened up about their problems. Ritu Akhter said with tears in her voice that her father was sick and unemployed at home. Mother Mariam Begum works in people's houses and runs a family of 10 including five brothers and sisters. Ritu, who has passed HSC this year, is unable to get admission in honors due to lack of money. Her education is about to end. This sewing machine gives him the courage to be independent. He wants to get the highest degree and get a job. After listening to her, Emdadul Haque Milan said that Bashundhara Group and Kal Kantha Shuvosangh will stand by Ritu's intention of getting highest education. Scholarships will be provided to poor girls studying in schools and colleges.

After the distribution of sewing machines, the Shuvosangho library was inaugurated. More than four hundred books have been accommodated in the library and already a large number of students have started coming to it. Emdadul Haque Milan spoke to 30 students who came to read books after distributing sewing machines. He said, if the students of this area face any problem, if their educational life is interrupted, the Bashundhara group will stand by them. Finally, he visited the garden of Kibria Mandal, the agricultural entrepreneur who created a stir in Gaibandha.

The entire program was coordinated by Humayun Ahmed Biplab, Atiqur Rahman, Tanu Roy, Mahabub Rahman Roni, Devi Saha, Jannatul Maha Meem, Ahsania Taslim Snigdha, Ahsan Azim Naim, Saikat Pradhan, Jaykumar Das, Mithun Kumar Sarkar, Ashiqur Rahman, Saidur Rahman and others.

(The article was published in Kaler Kantho in Bengali on June 3, 2023 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque)