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What workedA paper bag maker in Alfadanga, Faridpur, in a Samakal report

20 kg of paper bags between household chores, at least 300 taka a day

In Bakail village, Alfadanga, old paper is bought by the kilo and turned into bags at a piece rate of 10-20 taka a kg. One maker does up to 20 kg a day for at least 300 taka, with no capital and no premises.

Bakail village in Alfadanga, Faridpur, once lived on pressing and selling mustard oil; as that failed, many households changed trade. Women there now buy old books, newspapers, posters and calendars by the kilo, cut them, glue them into bags, dry them in the sun and sell them by weight to fruit, grocery and sweet shops in nearby markets. This day-labourer's wife works between household chores and makes up to 20 kg of bags a day, earning at least 300 taka; the piece rate is 10-20 taka a kg and the bags sell at 80-85 taka a kg. A sixth-grade schoolgirl makes 15-20 kg in her spare time for 200-250 taka a day and pays her own school costs from it, and an elderly couple cover 3,000 taka a month of medicine out of bag income. The village sells about 50 kg of bags a day in the monsoon - over 1 lakh taka a month - and 2.5-3 lakh taka a month in the dry season. Rising commodity prices are squeezing the makers, and training is available through the women's affairs and youth development offices.

Lessons

  1. 1.Bag-making needs no capital and no premises: paid by the kilo, the income is exactly the work done
  2. 2.The same work pays differently by season: the village sells over 1 lakh taka of bags a month in the monsoon and 2.5-3 lakh in the dry season, so budget on the lean months

Published with the person's permission, without revealing who they are.

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