Bunon: Empowering Bihari women through crochet handicrafts 

Dulari, a 30-year-old, is a member of the Bihari community in Bangladesh who lives in Mohammadpur's Geneva camp. She has been able to support her family for the last five years by making crochet handicrafts for 'Bunon' - an online business platform. 

"I have been working with Bunon for the last five years and I have been able to support my family ever since. I earn around Tk15,000 to Tk20,000 every month," Dulari told The Business Standard.

Bunon was started by Ribana Haque, an architecture student, back in 2014 with a working capital of only Tk1,000 as a non-profit organisation to support women financially and promote local handicrafts. 

She added, "Both my mother and I work for Bunon and we make cushion covers, bed sheets, pillow covers, kid's shoes among other products."

Dulari learned the art of crochet from her mother but they never could make a living out of it until they started working for Bunon.

Recalling how she got in touch with Bunon, Dulari said, "One day Ribana apu came to Geneva camp looking for women who could make crochet handicrafts and she found us. Since then, I have been financially independent."

"Women like me in Bihari camps don't get many opportunities to work or earn money. Thus this opportunity of working with Bunon is helping me support my family and change our lives," Dulari continued.

The struggle of the Bihari community 

The history of the Bihari community in Bangladesh dates back to the British colonial period. They were brought to Bangladesh from different parts of India to work as railway workers and factory laborers, and since then, this community has continued facing many hardships and struggles. 

During the Liberation War of 1971, tolerance between Bangladeshis and Bihari communities decreased significantly due to political reasons. As a result, some members of the Bihari communities were expelled from Bangladesh while others were stuck in different camps in Dhaka and other parts of the country. 

Currently, around 300,000 Biharis live in Dhaka city and over 900,000 in Bangladesh.
  
In the camps, the Biharis do not have access to proper sanitation, pure water, gas and electricity, garbage collection or any other facility.

Even until 2008, the Bihari community lived an uncertain life in these camps due to their statelessness. The same year, a young group from Dhaka Geneva camp applied for citizenship in the Supreme Court. 

The court, after a long haul, ruled in favour of their citizenship. Now, the Bihari community, at least on paper, are legal citizens of Bangladesh. 

After getting their citizenship, members of Bihari communities, especially women, are trying to change their fate and get involved with various works such as making handicrafts, crochet items and many more.

Giving a marginalised community a chance 

Bunon has paved the way for Bihari women to work and support their families.

However, Ribana did not plan to be an entrepreneur. But she became one by coincidence and now she has been helping underprivileged women to be financially independent while promoting local handicrafts at both home and abroad. 

"Back in 2014, I started Bunon with two others while I was a fourth year architecture student at the State University of Bangladesh. At that time, I had to visit Geneva Camp for academic purposes and there I found that women of the camp can do crochet work. I realized that this art is at the verge of extinction," Ribana recalled. 

Then, she searched the internet for modern crochets designs and patterns and prepared to set off her business with two other women from the camp.

Ribana said, "I had no idea about online business and my initial investment was a little around Tk1,000."

Currently, there are around 150 women from the camp and around 500 women across the country weaving crochet handicrafts for Bunon. 

These women make various crochet products including children's shoes, bed covers and blankets, and the prices range from Tk500 to Tk17,000. 

"Initially, it was difficult to gain trust from the women at the Geneva camp but with time, they got comfortable with working with Bunon and more women got involved with the platform," Ribana told the correspondent.

Opening up of new avenues 

Bunon also exports products abroad through their social media outlets. Each weaver gets paid on the numbers of the products they make each month. The weavers are provided with the materials and tailoring cost by Bunon. 

The f-commerce platform also arranges training if necessary. 

"Home decor products are our first priority but we also emphasize on baby products such as baby dresses, hair bands, shoes etc," Ribana informed.

Ribana Haque faced resistance from her in the beginning of her journey. Since she was an architecture student, her family did not want her to become a businesswoman.

"It wasn't easy to convince my parents to allow me to change my profession. Now I'm completely focused on my business and architecture is my second priority. There is emotion involved and I am responsible for the empowerment of so many women," said Ribana.

She added, "When my family saw that my idea was working and business was expanding, they began to support me, which was a blessing for me."