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Hope for better

Manik Chowdhury
ALMOST on the Jessore-Narail highway, bordering Narail district, lies the quiet Bhangra village of Jessore Bagharpara upazila. Although It is along a highway there is little high sight or sound of development or modernism anywhere. Mostly a neglected habitat --old and poor. A narrow earthen road goes down inside from the highway. A dilapidated Durgamandap (Durgapuja shed) with old icons at the entry point hints of Hindu settlements. Then appear the golpata (large leaves), earthen tiles, hay sheds, leaning houses -- as if from eons apart People are also eon-old. Not in age but by situation Deprived of development facilities, trapped in the poverty-net. they have been left in the middle of the past century.
But this deprivation, poverty and backwardness could not hold their will back, nor could steal all of their innocent smiles. They are working to earn a livelihood, to improve their condition. Microcredit has turned their will into entrepreneurship.
An expansive, clean compound in the middle of the dilapidated houses; here the family of Jamuna Rani Das and husband Ratan Chandro Das works with bamboo and cane. They are traditional craftsmen, meticulously manufacturing farmers' hats, baskets and winnows for centuries. These have been helpful items for the Bangalee peasants in the field, and in keeping and selling their produce. The Bangalee's cultural tradition is intermingled with these. But the carriers and holders of this otherwise rich tradition have turned too poor today!
Even 30/40 years ago they were not so hard-core poor, and their houses and settlements surely were not so dilapidated then. Being victims of decades of deprivation their opportunities and capacities have gradually diminished. The first wave came in 1947 at the time of partition. Mass exodus from the communal riot ridden localities caused destabilisation. The impact on the countryside might not have been too sharp, but their ancestors had to bear the brunt of the 3-4 year long unstable social condition that prevailed.
The second wave came in 1971, during the war of liberation. However this wave touched all in the country not only the inhabitants of Bhangra, and more or less all took to rebuilding their habitats after independence They also might have, but could not advance or settle like many others over these 37 post-independence years.
However, not all is lost in this race of time. Appreciation for their handicraft is still there in the villages. People are still used to the bamboo and cane baskets, winnows and farmer's hats in the absence of proper alternatives. The
family needed only some capital to be endeavouring. ASA's microcredit has provided that new endeavour to keep the old work going.
Jamuna Rani's family is working with new enthusiasm for seven years. She took first loan ofTk 5,000, becoming a member of ASA Tolarampur branch. Then onwards, each year, the loan was repaid and a bigger loan taken, gradually increasing the volume of her work in consequence. Now she is repaying the seventh loan of Tk 12,000 in regular installments. The microcredit is showing her some light of hope. Her husband, two sons and their wives have joined hands in the family enterprise. She could give her only daughter in marriage to a good groom. She could smile away her suffering now.
l\vo of her three grand children arc already school going. The third one will follow suit in course of time. Jamuna Rani has started rearing hope for giving them secondary, even higher education. She could also undertake repairing the dwellings gradually. She is hopeful because the demand for their traditional products has not declined much. If they could increase
the quantity vis-a-vis demand, they would be able to enhance income. They know that, if necessary, the capital can be raised by enhanced microcredit from ASA, or
small entrepreneur loan in case of bigger capital need.
Manik Chowdhury is a senior journalist