Thakurgaon Silk Factory Set to Resume Production After 21 Years

The Thakurgaon Silk Factory is poised to officially reopen on August 3 after remaining shuttered for an incredible 21 years.

The facility is now undergoing operations, with machinery being cleaned and made ready for weaving cloth.

The factory has 20 power looms and 20 manual looms, all of which will be operating once more. It was formerly recognized for creating silky silk textiles. Both seasoned employees and those who have recently been hired are excited about the reopening.

Around 5,000 silk farmers lost their jobs as a result of the closing of the silk plant, which had a tremendous impact on them. As the factory would use their silkworms' yarn to make silky silk fabric, it is anticipated that the reopening of the facility will provide employment prospects for around 5000 farmers involved in sericulture.

To export silk fabric, Supriya Group in Thakurgaon has leased the plant for five years.

Ramesh Chandra Sen, a local MP, will officially kick off the factory's return to work, according to Md. Bablur Rahman, the chairman of the Supriya Group.

According to him, all preparations for the plant's functioning are finished, and roughly 25 to 30 people, including eight former factory workers, are now employed.

Despite a little problem with a few of the machines, he noted, attempts are being made to fix it and more new machines would be purchased if necessary.

When an investigative team led by Moniruzzaman, a joint secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, filed a report in 2019 verifying the viability of restarting the facility, the process towards its reopening got underway.

In order to define the operational processes, a technical committee with nine members was later established in October 2020, which resulted in the plant being leased to Supriya Group.

Belayet Hossain, the newly appointed General Manager of the factory, said that all technical work has been successfully completed, and they have already reached out to the former factory workers who are willing and able to return to work.

Thakurgaon District Commissioner Md. Mahbubur Rahman said the factory's revival will generate employment opportunities for many.

The silk fabric produced in Thakurgaon has a high demand both nationally and internationally, he said.

Established by private organization RDRS in 1977-78, the modernization work of the factory was completed in December 1998. It was shut down in November 2002 due to repotedlosses.

Over the years, the people of Thakurgaon, along with sericulturists, persistently called for its reopening, leading to its lease of life to the private sector after 21 years.