Hajiganj Handicrafts basket unit was set up in 1999 by MCC. It is situated in one of the under developed villages in the Nilphamari district.

 

MCC started a couple of handicraft projects in this Northern part of Bangladesh in the 1970’s and arranged to provide independ status to some of them before setting up this unit. In these years many positive changes have been happened in this unit.

People’s livelihood is mostly dependent on agriculture in this area. Few people only own land and thus hire day laborers to work in their fiends during the cropping seasons. These day laborers are low-paid and completely seasonal. Women have fewer opportunities to work outside of their home as compared to the men. 

Hajiganj Handicrafts is working well in this area as the unit is established in the village and some women can make the products at their homes. The women weave baskets with kaisa grass, palm leaves and recycle fabrics. They make different shapes, sizes, and color baskets. In the recent days, their colorful basket hampers have become an excellent seller in the US and European markets.

 

Hajiganj employs 30 regular producers and 96 seasonal producers.