The Bangladesh Handloom Board has taken a Tk 35.55-crore project for establishing a fashion design and training institute and a basic centre for the development of handloom fabrics in the country.
BHB chairman Mostafa Kamal Haider told the news agency that the government had taken the plan to increase skill and productivity of handloom weavers and ensure them of jobs to regain the century-old glory of handloom industry.
He said the under the project which would be implemented in three years a total of 21,600 handloom workers would be given jobs by innovating modern designs for handlooms and textile products catering to the demand of the market and customers.
Japan Debt Cancellation Fund will give Tk 35 crore while the remaining Tk 0.55 crore would come from the government.
Under the project, a fashion design and training institute will be established at the city’s Mirpur apart from three training sub-centres in loom-intensive Belkuchi (Sirajganj),
Kalihati (Tangail) and Kumarkhali (Kushtia).
Chief (planning and implementation) of the BHB S Mostafa Kamal said the main objective of the project was to boost the level of skill of handloom workers alongside developing new designs to survive in the competitive world.
Citing untold agonies of handloom workers, he said they are deprived of fair price for their produce from display centres of traditional clothes being set up in the city as the handloom workers don’t have any idea about modern design.
Experts express disappointment over absence of initiative to set up industrial units to sustain the growth of the potential handloom like readymade garment and knitwear sectors, considered main attraction for foreign investors.
According to the last handloom census, there are now 5,05,556 looms in a total of 1, 83,512 units in the country. Out of them, 3, 13, 245 looms have remained
