DHAKA, June 17, 2025 (BSS) - Mitu Begum, a housewife from village Nuniyagari in Gaibandha, has become a successful entrepreneur after going through many ups and downs in her life. She has built a handicraft factory; where around 2,000 women are now working and managed bring positive changes in their respective lives. These rural women have become self-reliant by designing clothes with the magic of needles and threads.
 
Nuniyagari is about 22 kilometres away from the Gaibandha district town and is under Palashbari municipality. During a recent trip to that village, the reporter spoke to Mitu Begum. Talking about her entrepreneurial journey, she said, "After marriage, I realised that it was not possible to run the family well with just my husband's income. Since then, I started thinking about doing something by myself."
 
Mitu Begum got an opportunity to do something in 2018. At that time, training was being provided to women at government expense from the Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB). Mitu Begum formed an association with some other women from the area. Later, they took a month's sewing training from the BRDB.
 
After the training, Mitu Begum received a loan of 20,000 taka from the BRDB. With that money, she had launched her handicraft business. Her dream journey began with just 20 women. Seeing her sewing work, housewives and unemployed women in the area started contacting her for work. 

Mitu Begum started giving training to other interested women apart from her own work and was employing them in her work.
 
"Not only the women I trained here, but also women who received government sewing training in various upazilas of the district, gradually started contacting me. In this way, around 2,000 women became self-reliant by me," proud Mitu said. 
 
She further said that initially, they had some problems with sale. They were not getting many orders. At that time, BRDB came forward to help them with marketing. With their help, big orders started coming from some other institutions, including Aarong.
 
After that, Mitu did not have to look back. She won the hearts of the customers with the quality of her work. Her factory is now producing various types of items, including three-pieces, bed sheets, curtains, Punjabi, yoke, shawl, and baby frocks. Although it started with just 20 thousand taka, Mitu's monthly expenses have now reached about Taka 25 lakh. This includes the wages of the women who do the sewing work, the cost of buying needles, yarn, and cloth, and other expenses.
 
However, Mitu said that the work she does for the renowned brand Aarong, does not require any capital. The cloth, fabric, needle, thread, and even the wages are all sent in advance from Aarong. Currently, she designs and sells about 50,000 pieces of cloth per month.
 
It was learned that by doing the sewing work in Mitu Begum's factory, some women are paying the cost of their education, and their children's education. Many have taken care of their families. As a result, these women have become self-reliant, and their decision-making power in the family has also increased.
 
Mitu's sewing workers are not only from her own village, but also in the villages of seven upazilas of the district. They are doing sewing work for extra income while managing their own chores. 

Mitu said that she supervises the work of the workers near her house. However, there is a special arrangement for supervising the work of the workers far away. To complete the work smoothly, she has created a group of 30-50 women workers based in the area.
 
There is a leader in each group. These group leaders come to Mitu Begum's house at regular intervals and take the necessary materials, including cloth, yarn,and designs. Again, after the work, they come to Mitu and give her back the completed orders.
 
Rumi Akter, a resident of Sahapara area of Gaibandha district town, is a student of BA (honors) at a local college. She is also employed as a worker at Mitu's factory. Telling the story of her self-reliance, Rumi said, "I support my family by paying for my education with this income. I have been working here for about 5 years."
 
For newcomers, female entrepreneur Mitu Begum said, "Nothing comes easy in life. There are hurdles on every path. And only those who dare to overcome them will win. Today, I have become successful. I am receiving big orders from various fashion houses and markets in the country. As per their contract, quality goods have to be delivered on time. By working like this, I make a profit of about Taka 50 thousand to one lakh every month.
 
Regarding her future plans, Mitu said, "I want to expand my business in the future. For this, I have taken up a plan to employ more women. I have removed the financial strain in the family by doing this business. My husband is also supporting me."
 
Demanding the government take steps for the development of rural women entrepreneurs, she said that, "The government should provide training to rural women on a large scale. They do not want any incentives; they want proper training and guidance. If they get that, they will move forward with courage in the future".
 
According to local BRDB sources, women are given different types of training with the aim of forming a product-based village under the Gaibandha Integrated Rural Poverty Alleviation Project. In this way, women in different areas of the district have become self-reliant by doing various types of work including sewing.
 
Palashbari Upazila BRDB officer Md Hasanuzzaman said Mitu has become self-reliant through her own efforts after taking a month-long training in the embroidery. 

Our cooperation is also continuing to establish her as a successful entrepreneur, he said.