Boutique houses here are passing busy times as demand of its products is on rise ahead of the Eid festival. Iffat Ara, Director of Angana Mahila Samity in the city, expressed much satisfaction over her boutique business, saying its demand is gradually mounting.
"We have established 'Angana Boutique and Fashion' and 100 women work here," she added.
Similarly, Shefali Boutiques run by Daudpur Mahila Kalyan Samity and Mohona Boutiques run by Mohona Mahila Kalyan Samity made 175 women self-reliant.
Monira Khatun, President of Mohila Kolyan Samity, termed the boutique houses as a source of women empowerment.
Amena Begum, owner of Maisha Boutique and Fashion House at Upashahar Koyerdara in the city, narrated her success story, saying she supplies goods to different parts of the country successfully.
More than 100 women coming from underprivileged and disadvantaged families are working in her boutique industry as labourers, she said.
"We supply our finished goods to more than 14-15 districts including Dhaka," said Tahmina Akhter Minu, owner of Mini Boutique House in Shapura area.
Anwara Begum, President of Dashmari Distressed Women Welfare Association, said they have involved around 50 women with skill development training to make them efficient. After completing their training they are doing block, boutique and embroidery works in their respective areas and many of them attained their long-cherished economic emancipation, she said.
Anwara Begum said the boutique houses were established and operated with assistance from the district women affairs office.
Shobnom Shirin, Deputy Director of the Department of Women Affairs, told BSS that they are working relentlessly for women empowerment.
Apart from the boutique houses, tailors are having busy times ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. Many of them have already stopped taking orders as they cannot deliver their orders.
There has been a sudden rush at the tailoring houses after the 10th day of Ramadan, said Hasan Ali, owner of PoP Tailors in the city's Jamal Supermarket.
He said he has already hired extra artisans to meet deliver order on time.
Some 20 tailors are working in his tailoring shop day and night.
A large number of people, especially women and girls, are seen crowding at the tailoring shops of the city.
Despite the availability of readymade garments, the demand for tailored clothes has not diminished.
Ali said they are getting orders for trousers, shirts, suits, safaris and kabli.
They would continue taking orders until the 20th day of Ramadan, he added.
Saima Akter, owner of Fashion Ladies' Tailors in the city's Shaheb Bazar area, said readymade dresses invariably need some alteration.
"For nice fitting, women and girls come to tailors even if they buy stitched dresses from boutiques", she added.
Kaniz Parvin, a housewife, came to Fashion Ladies' Tailors to order salwar kameez for Eid.
She said that she often buys readymade garments, but usually prefers tailored outfits during Eid.
Soheli said the month of Ramadan is always good for business. "In fact, this is the only time we manage to make some profit," she added.
Motaleb Hossain, a dressmaker of Soheli Tailors, said workers in the shop have been working round the clock without any break to complete the orders and deliver them on time. Stitching charges have gone up a bit for Eid as they are putting in extra effort during this time, he added.