Zaman Akhtar from Chuadanga
High quality yarn (thread) is being produced from worn out banana tree which used to be discarded earlier after collection of its fruit.
Entrepreneurs are claiming to make various handicraft materials with these yarns. Two young entrepreneurs from Damurhuda village in Chuadanga have caused a stir in the area after taking the initiative to make banana yarn. They are producing yarn with electric machines built using domestic technology.
Talking to Abu Saeed of Deuli village in Damurhuda upazila and his friend Saiful Islam of Patachora village, it has been known that the two friends often made various plans with hopes of success in their career.
Achieving success was not easy but a YouTube video changed their lives. The technology of turning worn out banana trees into yarns inspired them. They collected domestically produced yarn manufacturing machine after digging into the idea.
The machine has been installed at Saiful's house in Patachora village. Worn out banana trees are being collected by the teenage workers of village. Afterwards the trees are being cut in two parts in order to separate the usable part. The banana tree is then put inside the machine after peeling its skin. Golden thread is being manufactured following this procedure. The entrepreneurs are producing 15 to 20 kg of yarn every day.
Saiful Islam said that most people are unfamiliar with the yarn made from banana tree. Due to this reason the number of buyers of this yarn is very low. However, there will be a huge demand of this yarn in the future. They have taken the initiative to produce the yarns themselves, as the price of yarn is low at present. This way they can gain more profit from this.
Abu Saeed said, the women of the village are making various handicraft materials with the yarn of the banana tree according to their convenience at Saiful’s house. They are making various materials of handicrafts with fibrous yarn including bags, rugs and hats.
This way earning opportunities for the women of the village is also being created. School-college going girls are also getting involved in this work to meet the cost of their education.
Halima Khatun of Patachora village said that she has engaged her daughter in the handicraft making work. This way they are getting the opportunity to earn some extra money. This earning is helping them bear the cost of children's education.
Sufi Md Rafiquzzaman, District Training Officer of the department of Agricultural Extension in Chuadanga said, “The worn-out banana trees were used as cattle feed. It also cost extra money to remove the banana trees from the farmer's field. Yarn is being made from these banana trees. It is necessary to take various steps to take this innovative initiative forward.”
Damurhuda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dilara Rahman said that thousands of unemployed youths are wandering across country in despair for employment.
Abu Saeed and Saiful Islam have taken exceptional initiatives to curb unemployment. Their initiative is admirable. We would like to cooperate with them as the production method of this yarn is environmentally friendly. This initiative manifests possibilities of earning foreign currency after meeting the demands of the country.
