Golam Rabbani from Kurigram:

Morsheda Begum, a housewife of Patilapur village in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram district has set up an example of becoming self-reliant by knitting prayer cap, locally known as Tupi. She earns around Tk 21 lakh in three months before Eids, largest festivals of the Muslims from this handicraft business that encourages other women in the areas to do this. Not only that, the Tupi, produced by Morsheda and her workers is now going to several countries of the Middle East after fulfilling the domestic demand due to its good quality, she said.

“The demand of the hand-made caps of different designs is increasing day by day at home and abroad. A good number of poor women in the area have now got engaged in the works,” said Shah Mohammad Jonayed, Deputy Manager of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in Kurigram.

The main craftswoman and entrepreneur Morsheda Begum had to overcome several challenges in the beginning. Now she has turned into an icon of society. Her achievement is encouraging other unemployed women to make them solvent.

Morsheda Begum, also founder director of the cap-making company named ‘Nipun Hastaya Shilpa Sambhar’ got married off in 1995, while she was a student of class-X. After marriage, she along with her husband went to Tangail in search of works due to their poverty and started work in a towel-making factory.

Later, she came to know about prayer cap making from one Kamola Begum.

After observing Kamola’s cap-making process for a few days, she started the work at her home.

She used to work in the factory at day time and produce cap at home at night on behalf of Kamola’s organization. Firstly she got Tk 350 as daily wage from Kamola.

Once, an official of a private company was impressed after watching her products. Later, he ordered her to produce some caps for his company. At that time, she got Tk 17,000 for supplying some 50 prayer-caps.

Then Morsheda returned to her own village and started work of cap making after recruiting some local women. In a short span of time, Morsheda see the ray of hope. Now she has become a millionaire by this profession.

Hearing about her success, many unemployed women in the area have become interested to set up such as cap making factory.

Locals said, Morsheda has not changed only her own fate; she has also created job facility for other women in the areas.

About 5000 women are now directly and indirectly working at her organization. Besides, many others are earning money being involved with the same works.

According to the direction of Morsheda, workers make different types of caps with needle, silk-yarn and clothes. The caps are now going to different countries including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Dubai of the Middle East through two wholesale traders of Feni.

Some 15 supervisors have been working under Morsheda for looking after her business.

Morsheda said, “A piece of high quality cap is sold between Tk 800 and Tk 1600, while its production cost stands at Tk 150. I get Tk 70 to Tk 90 as commission against each cap from the workers.”

Hawa Begum of Patilapur village said, “I have been working in the cap making factory for four years after receiving training from Morsheda. Now I have no crisis in my family. Apart from normal works of my family, I earn a good profit per month from it.”

Eighth grader student Mukta Khatun said, “Besides my study, I work to produce cap with the directive of Morsheda. I help my father with my income after covering my education costs. Like me, many female students in the area are now engaged in such work to earn some extra money for their families.”

Moushumi Akhtar of Satdargah village said, “We make the prayer caps throughout the year. The demand of caps remains high especially in the month of Ramadan and before Eid festivals. During the time, we earn up to Tk 10,000 each.”

BSCIC Deputy Manager Shah Mohammad Jonayed also said, “The caps produced by Morsheda Begum and her employees are going to some countries of the Middle East, which is good news for the new entrepreneurs of Kurigram. She has created employment facility for several hundreds of women in the region. BSCIC authority will provide all kinds of assistances, if Morsheda demands.”