RAJSHAHI, Feb 4, 2019 (BSS)- Grassroots poor and marginal women have
found the path of their rehabilitation as Bangladesh Sericulture Development
Board (BSDB) adopts sericulture revitalization programmes in the region.
After getting financial support for sericulture the beneficiary families
have started contributing a lot towards rejuvenating the silk sector.
Bangladesh Sericulture Development Board (BSDB) has planted mulberry
trees and taking security measures for the trees. All the stakes concerned
are now waiting for the return of good days in silk farming.
Mulberry tree grows everywhere in Bangladesh, but it grows better in
Rajshahi region. The BSDB is working for the cultivation and production of
silk. Mulberry is usually cultivated in crop fields, roadsides and
homesteads.
The moths kept inside houses for certain period eat mulberry leaves. They
become large in size and discharge silk like threads around their bodies. The
threads become strong when they come in contact with air. Afterwards, the
threads are collected and boiled in water. Later, the silk thread is
processed.
Housewives Halima Khatun and Jotsna Begum at Chandpur village under
Mohanpur Upazila were seen guarding and trimming mulberry trees.
Halima told BSS that each of them gets Taka 3,000 per month from the
BSDB. They meet some of their family expenditures with this income.
“Mulberry trees need trimming four times a year,” said Alauddin Mandal,
Upazila Silk Extension Officer. The leaves come out within 56 days after
trimming. An expert farmer can produce 90 to 100 kilograms of leaves. One
kilogram of leaf is sold at Taka 300 to 320. A farmer can earn about Taka
30,000 to 35,000 a year.
Some areas of Charghat and Bagha Upazilas in Rajshahi and Bholahat
Upazila in Chapainawabgonj districts are very much popular for mulberry
production.
BSDB provides all kinds of supports to the silk farmers. About 5,000
mulberry trees were planted in five blocks of Mohanpur under Poba Circle. At
least 22 houses have been built officially for the silk farmers in the
circle.
Director General of BSDB Abdul Hakim told BSS that the government has
taken initiative to revive the silk industry.
Accordingly, several projects have already been adopted. A project has
been taken to identify char and khas lands for silk farming. In the last
fiscal year, the board distributed four lakh mulberry saplings.
Sericulture has been incorporated in the ‘Ekti Bari, Ekti Khamar (EBEK)’
project for strengthening the agro-based economy through reviving the lost
glory of sericulture.
Under the joint venture, around 2.75 lakh mulberry plants were
distributed among 1,680 EBEK members. Some 777 of them were given need-based
training on how to plant and nurse the plants properly.
He said two state-owned silk factories can be restarted in phases through
boosting the production of raw silk locally. Through this, about 10,000
people of the region will get employment opportunities.
Abdul Hakim said the sericulture and silk industry, by its nature, is a
family based labor-intensive economic activity that provides employment for
the rural people.
More than six lakh people are involved in this industry of which one lakh
are cocoon growers and the rest are engaged in silk reeling, spinning,
weaving, dyeing, printing, finishing and trading activities.