Naogaon hand-made prayer caps usher Tk1,000cr export potential

Highlights:

• 200 businessmen in Naogaon are involved in making caps
• An extra earning source for 50,000 women artisans 
• Making a single cap can take three days to one month
• Demand for the caps increase during the two Eid seasons
• These caps are exported to a number of middle countries, especially Oman

Handmade prayer caps, locally known as "Tupi", from different upazilas of Naogaon has made their mark beyond the border to the middle eastern countries, especially Oman, and business owners say they are eyeing a staggering Tk1,000 crore in export income in the upcoming season.

The demand for these caps, which are made throughout the year, is especially high during the two Eids.

It started around a decade ago, when a number of traders from Feni district launched a business of making caps in Mohadevpur upazila of Naogaon. As the women in the area got skilled in making these caps and demand for their products increased, the trade spread in 11 upazilas of the district and many started to take it as their profession.

People involved in the trade said about 200 businessmen in the district are making the caps, which provide around 50,000 women artisans in the area a way of additional income.

The special types of caps made in the district mainly feature four stitch patterns – chain, button, grain and fish stitch. It takes a few artisans to make a single cap.

Depending on the cap types, the artisans get a wage of Tk20 to Tk1,500 per piece. Making a single cap can take from three days to one month.

Caps with grain designs take the longest time to be made. The cost of making this cap includes Tk1,500 as wage, Tk130 for yarn, Tk140 for belt and Tk20 for agents or field workers.

The cost of making a cap with knot stitch includes Tk200 as wages, Tk110 for a belt, Tk15 for yarn and Tk20 for an agent or field worker. This cap is sold with a profit of Tk300-400.

This type of cap, which is an indispensable part of traditional attire in Oman, is also exported to various other countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

After making the caps, local traders send them to various markets, such as Chawkbazar and Baitul Mukarram Market in Dhaka. The traders there export these to different countries in the Middle East.

Once the cloth is cut according to size, it is printed and stitched. People involved in this sector said they get paid Tk2.5 per piece for sewing and another Tk2.5 for printing. 

Sewing master Shubho, a resident of Naogaon, said he can work on 300-350 caps per day, while printing worker Sajib said he could print the same number of caps in a day.

Housewife Arjina Begum of Madhuban village in Mohadevpur upazila told TBS, "I learned to operate a sewing machine in my father's house. Ever since I got married 12 years ago, I have seen my neighbors sewing caps by hand. I have been sewing designs on caps using the sewing machines for the last eight years.

"Each cap takes about 30 minutes to sew, for which I earn Tk20. Apart from the household work, I can sew five to six caps every day."

Zulekha Begum, a housewife in Kunjaban Eidgah Para village, said she earns about Tk2,000 per week by sewing hats. Besides, she takes work orders from the traders and distributes them among a number of girls in the village. She earns some extra money by acting as an agent in this way.

Parul Begum, a housewife from the same village, said once she and the women in the area used to spend time chatting as they did not have much to do after finishing their household chores. Ever since the cap traders brought them work opportunities around ten years ago in the area, they have been using their time in a more productive way.

"I am earning extra income by sewing caps after finishing the household work. I earn around Tk2,500-3,000 per month in this way, which is a great support for my family," she added.

Amjad Hossain, a cap trader of Swaraswatipur village in the upazila, said he sells around 200 caps each week to local wholesalers at an average profit of Tk100 per piece. The wholesalers export those caps to Oman.

Adam Uddin, one of the big cap traders in Mohadevpur upazila, said his main occupation is agriculture, but he has also been involved in the cap business for around 12 years. Earlier, cloth, yarn and designs for caps had to be brought from Feni and Noakhali districts, but currently those are available in Naogaon as there is a huge demand for them.

He said, "Ten agents working under me distribute the work among women artisans of different villages. About 1,000 women are engaged in sewing caps under them. The time and labour needed for making caps with knot stitch, chain and fish cut designs are low. It takes three to seven days to sew these caps and the wages for these are Tk200-250 per piece. It takes at least one month to sew a cap with grain stitches and the wage is Tk1,000-1,500 for it.

"The demand for caps starts to increase a couple of months before Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. These caps are exported abroad, especially to Oman. This year we have exported about 5,000 pieces of hats. Depending on the type, the price of a cap ranges from Tk800 to Tk3,500," he added.a