Akij Bashir Group launches project to make third-gender people self-reliant
Akij Bashir Group has launched a project named "Smantaral" with the aim of making third-gender people self-reliant by creating employment opportunities for them. The Akij Bashir Trust, a social welfare initiative of the group, will implement this project.
According to Mohammad Sohrab Hossain, head of the Smantaral project and assistant general manager of Akij Bashir Group, the beneficiaries of the project will receive basic training from socio-economic training centers for women under the Department of Social Welfare of the government. They will then receive extensive training in sewing, cutting, block printing, embroidery, etc., which will prepare them as skilled manpower. The trainees will then train others in these skills.
Currently, the Smantaral project has created jobs for 20 people, and project officials mentioned that the number will increase to 50 this year.
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One of the trainees, named Jasim, said, "Before we came here we were neglected and isolated in society, so we had to take shelter under a Guruma. We had to extort money for her. If one could not do so, one had to endure torture there too."
However, the Smantaral project gave them respect and the courage to stand on their own feet, Jasim said.
After inaugurating the project, Sheikh Bashir Uddin, the managing director of Akij Bashir Group, expressed his happiness to be a partner of such an initiative. He wished the project prosperity for the future and hoped that other industrial groups would come forward to support this neglected cohort of the population.
He also stressed the need for providing them with a decent livelihood to ensure their social inclusion.
The project has launched a website, www.samantaral.com, where clothes made by third-gender people will be sold.
Bashir Uddin assured the beneficiaries of the project that his company would provide all necessary support to improve the quality of their products, achieve design excellence, reduce production costs, and increase the range and market access, etc.
Speaking at the event, Sheikh Amin Uddin, the MD of Akij Motors, emphasised the need for ensuring the social dignity of third-gender people.
Akij Bashir Group Chairman Monowara Begum was also present at the event.
