Laiju Khatun is an inhabitant of Phulbari in Kurigram, the northern district of the country. Parents' eldest daughter Laiju earlier dreamt of helping her poor father and educating her younger three brothers and sisters after completion of her study.
Laiju was also quite good as a student. But all dreams had been shattered when her father had died suddenly in a road accident. Her education was stopped. In such a terrible situation, one day her mother decided to arrange marriage for Laiju.
Although Laiju didn't want to enter into family life, she agreed to the marriage proposal. But the financial condition of her father-in-law's family was not quite good. However, due to her devotion and strong will power, Laiju is now a role model for many in the area.
Housewife Laiju has become a successful entrepreneur by commercially producing caps from hair at home. Now the dreams of Laiju, hailed from a remote village, is to go ahead for more success. Visiting the scene, it was found that Laiju Khatun was also working for employment of other women side by side with being self-reliant. Meanwhile, Laiju is making the caps with a team of 30 people. Each of them earns Taka 4-7 thousand per month and brought success to their respective families.
Laiju said that it is possible to earn foreign currency through exporting the hair caps by expanding this business widely if the government supports it.
Moslema Begum, 30, daughter of farmer Neshar Ali of Chand Khana Balabari village of Fulbari upazila, works at Laizur's company. She said solvency has now returned to her family.
Besides, Rebecca is a ninth grader student and Sumi Akhter is studying in class eight. They along with many students took training from Laizu's institute as the schools had been closed during the Corona epidemic. Laiju's husband Samiul Islam said that his wife is a very talented woman.
"In spite of obtaining higher education with good result, she became an entrepreneur without searching a job and succeeded," he added.
Laiju is now the pride of everyone in her area. There is praise from everyone from public representatives of the area to school teachers or dignitaries as she has not only changed her fortunes, but also now a beacon of light in the area. She made many women self-reliant.
"It was my long-cherished dream to become a successful entrepreneur and work to improve the fortunes of rural women. To fulfill the dream, I took hair cap making training for 15 days, including five days in Mymensingh and ten days in Uttara, Dhaka as there was no hair cap making training in my village," she said.
"Later, I have provided training to 30 women for 20 to 25 days in my village with my own funds and started the journey through the institution 'Sinha Binte Samiul Hair Cap Knitting Ltd.'. At first, I sold these hair caps for Taka 400 to 500 to a private company in Dhaka which they exported to China," she added.
Upazila Women's Affairs Officer Soheli Parveen said it's a very good initiative. Everyone wants women to be empowered in society. The higher authority of the government has been informed about her activities. "I believe that more than hundred women of the upazila will be employed if the Laizu's institution is registered through the upazila women's affairs department," she added.
Expressing optimism about women folk of the society, upazila executive officer Suman Das said that women are moving forward in the remote areas of Phulbari upazila. "It's very positive for the nation," she said. —BSS
