The non-leather shoes made in the factories of rural Rangpur are currently being exported to European and Indian markets. Photo: collected
It is a A history of building a strong workforce. About thirty years ago, Hasanuzzaman Hassan and Md. Selim immigrated to the United States in search of a brighter future. Despite their eventual success in the building industry, the brothers were unable to resist the need to support their native country. They left behind a safe and comfortable existence and went back home because they wanted to change their nation. They then constructed shoe factories and cold storage facilities in northern Bangladesh. Nowadays, the non-leather shoes produced in these facilities in rural Rangpur, around 300 kilometers northwest of the capital Dhaka, are exported to markets in India and Europe. Poland, Turkey, Germany, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates are among the export destinations. The shoemaker is currently in the process of shipping its goods to the United States. Additionally, around 3,000 people are now employed by the factories, the majority of them are women who were previously unable to support their suffering families financially.
When the brothers returned to Bangladesh in 2007 with Tk 3.5 crore in anticipation of a possible investment, their journey of transformation got underway. Despite the political and economic unpredictabilities of the period, they were focused on making a significant contribution to their home community. They constructed a cold storage facility for agricultural products like potatoes and seeds at Nilphamari in 2009. The brothers opened their second factory in Rangpur’s Mithapukur in 2012. They quickly shifted their focus to the footwear sector, a move that would change the job situation for women in the area. They constructed BLING Leather Products Ltd., a shoe factory on 9.5 acres of land in Taraganj’s Ghonirampur neighborhood in 2017. According to Hassan, they hoped to establish jobs in the area and serve as role models for expatriates despite the dearth of raw materials and a trained labor force at the time. The shoe manufacturer has opened its second location. But they had a difficult start to their quest. Hassan claims that because their facility was located distant from the city, Dhaka, they had management and technological challenges. A further obstacle was the lack of experience in exporting and shoemaking.
The brothers were able to begin shoe production by 2020, mainly producing 300 pairs every day. The company joined the international market in 2021. According to Hassan, they made Tk 320 crore in the previous fiscal year 2023–2024 by shipping synthetic shoes to Europe and India. Meanwhile, following years of age-related problems, Selim passed dead in 2023. According to his younger brother Hassan, “managing the business in such challenging times was difficult.” Kazi Md. Wahidul Islam, the managing director and chief executive officer of Rupali Bank, opened the second BLING Leather location last Friday. The company has purchased machinery from Taiwan and Italy in order to guarantee international standards.
Tk 90 crore is being financed by Rupali Bank to increase the company’s production capacity. The new unit represents yet another significant milestone in local employment. About 2,900 people are currently employed by the two factories. According to Hassan, the production lines have contributed to a decrease in local unemployment by giving families who previously had financial difficulties steady salaries. “Five or six years ago, women in the region were still unemployed, and males had to go to find work. The situation has drastically changed now,” he recalled. Now that the second unit is up and running, 15,000 pairs of shoes are made every day. According to Hassan, their goal is to boost output to 50,000 pairs each day by 2026.
According to BLING Leather Products Ltd. worker Hamida Khatun, she began working at the factory over a year ago. “My family was entirely dependent on my husband’s income as a rickshaw-van puller before to this work. Our financial situation has improved, and I now make Tk 10,000 a month,” Khatun stated. “I feel empowered knowing that I contribute to my family’s well-being,” she stated. Following its most recent expansion and four years of worldwide market access, BLING Leather currently hopes to reach its export goal of Tk 700 crore by the end of 2028. For Hassan, however, life is more than just making money. “Rather, it’s about contributing to the nation meaningfully,” he stated.
Source: The Daily Star
