450 women become solvent rearing silkworm in Gaibandha

Silkworm rearing has made as many as 450 women solvent in Gaibandha.

Silkworm rearing has made as many as 450 women solvent in  Gaibandha district, inspiring others to be self-reliant by taking this profession.

Sources said farming of silkworm started in three upazilas -- Sundarganj, Sadullapur and Palashbari -- in 2018 as Sundarganj Silkworm Extension Center (SEC) brought the eggs of silkworm from Rangpur, Rajshahi and Chapainababganj to help the entrepreneurs.

 The eggs were distributed to the enthusiastic women of the upazilas free of cost, they said.

Apart from this, they have also been provided a tin shed house of 14 cubits’ length and 9 cubits’ width free for keeping the insects.

Earlier, the women were imparted need base training on the successful farming of silkworm at the initiative of Sundarganj SEC.

As the silkworm eat only the leaves of mulberry trees, a total of one lakh mulberry trees were planted on the road sides and abandoned places of the upazilas at the arrangement of the SEC.

Taking the technical supports from the Sundarganj SEC, all entrepreneurs started the farming of silkworm and then they had become successful.  

Among the successful women, 200 are in Sundarganjupazila, 150 in Sadullapurupazila and 100 in Palashbariupazila.

Cocoons (Guti) produced from insects are being sold to 12 shopping centers including Lalmonirhat, Joypurhat, Sirajganj, Rajshahi and Jhenaidah as the yarn is made from silk cocoons in these shopping centers.

Later the yarn was sent to factories in Rajshahi and Thakurgaon to make various garment including caps (tupis), three pieces, orna, sari, chadar.

Rozina Begum, an entrepreneur of Aarazi Dahaband village under Dahaband Union of Sundarganj upazila said her husband Farid Miah is a rickshaw puller and her family of four members could not be running smoothly with only husband’s income.

Then, she started raising silkworms with the help of SEC, she said, adding that she has been keeping insects for four years at no cost and making silk cocoons from insects.

Per year, she is earning money from 45, ooo to 50,000 by selling the cocoons, she termed.

Md. Joynal Abedin, Manager (Extension) of Sundarganj SEC, said that his organisation is encouraging the women of the three upazilas to keep silkworms aimed at alleviating their poverty.