Address : Nolshodha, Pathrail, Tangail
Samity : Nolshodha Purush Samity.
Name of branch : Karatia
Name of PO : Tarango
Prodiop’s ancestors lived in Murshidabad, India. From there, a part of their community migrated to Rajshahi in Bangladesh in search of a favorable climate for weaving. The weavers who came to Rajshahi were divided into three regions. A part centered on Dhaka’s Tantibazar. Another part went to Kishoreganj. The third part of the people settled in Chapainawabganj. A part of the weavers who settled in Kishoreganj first came to Dhamrai in Dhaka. After that, another part of them again went to Tangail. One of their descendants is Prodip Basak.
Why this area is well loomed? In reply he said, ‘The water of Jamuna, humidity and weather is highly favorable for weaving. Washing yearn in iron contaminated water does not make the thread beautiful. So, they have settled by the Jamuna river bank to get the excellent loom product.
Life before SEP intervention
All the weavers of Nolsodha follow the same traditional way of pit loom. They use the chemical dyeing and wash it to the nearest river bank. The residue of the dye wash away directly to the open river cause damage to the nearest indigenous species. So as Prodip, he was making the loom products in a very dark room near their community temple. They sometimes felt suffocated while doing the weaving for a long period of time.
The cone they use in loom machine and other wastage were been thrown here and there. The factory remained very dirty by the waste and they had no clue what to do with it.
Practices adopted with the help of SEP
When the project stuffs was visiting the nearest area they have heard the measurable condition of Prodip and heard about the traditional pit loom that Prodip and others were still practicing. Then the project stuffs visited the area and they held a community discussion about the situation. They discussed about SEP and many of them felt interested. There after Prodip became a member of SEP and participated in all the training held by SEP at Karatia. He not only accepted those training but also applied it in his factory. Now he has become a model ME of SEP.
He installed transparent sheets on the roof of his factory. This is bringing daylight into his room. By practicing this, he is saving electricity. He have also cut a side door around every loom which is serving a proper ventilation system in his factory. He brought some baskets where he keeps the unused cone and wastage generates every single day. He has confessed that this practices are providing a best environment for him and the other workers in his loom factory.
Conclusion
Sound mind and sound body brings the best output from the loom industry. The design and hardship is required in a handloom factory, it generally comes from a sound working environment. Prodip feels blessed that, TARANGO has gone there with SEP. Now he has become a change maker of his community.