Hundreds of women have become self-reliant making wigs in Kumarkhali Upazila of Kushtia.
In Sawta village, a handful of women were making these high-in-demand wigs at their homes a few years ago. But their contribution to the local economy has grown over the years and they now employ many other women from villages nearby.
Currently, about 500 women are working in small factories in the village. Among them, there are students and housewives. They have been earning money to support their families, besides carrying out their household chores and education.
Hair is usually collected from different households and salons. They are then brought to the factories where the hair is sewn on cotton-less net fabric. This entire process is called ventilating. Wig makers follow several steps to make these wigs usable.
The finished products—of different colors and shapes—are sold in the local market and some are shipped outside the country. The main market for these wigs is Europe, but there is an increasing market in China and Korea as well, local traders said.
However, the labourers are not happy over their wages at these factories. They used to earn Tk500 per wig a couple of years ago which has now come down to Tk200.
Housewife Rajina Akhtar, who works at one of these factories, said her husband is a rickshaw-van puller—who doesn’t earn enough to feed the entire family. Wig making was interesting at first, said Rajina. But now she does not make wigs anymore. It is not paying her enough, she said.
Another labourer, Dipa, said many girls are quitting the profession as their wages have become irregular.
Masura Khatun, a school-goer, said she works at a factory after classes. It takes her 7 to 8 days to complete a wig. She said she buys stationery for her education with the money she earns.
Sharmin Akhter, who was working at a RMG unit in Dhaka, said she loved the craft when one day she visited one of the factories during her vacation. Then she left her job in Dhaka to join these women in the village. She said her income has come down significantly in recent months.
Popy, a woman entrepreneur, said that the wholesale buyers fix the wages and local factory owners are helpless in this regard. They have little bargaining power, she said.
Enamul Haque Manju, chairman of Chapra Union Parishad said: “I have heard that village girls are trying to become self-reliant in different ways. But I did not know that the wages in wig factories are so low. I will ask the ward members concerned to look into the matter and talk to the authorities on ensuring fair wages.”