Araihazar (Narayanganj) Correspondent

State Minister for Textiles and Jute, Md. Shariful Alam on Wednesday said, the government is implementing various initiatives to make the handloom industry highly competitive and sustainable through technological modernisation and skill development.

He made the remarks as the chief guest following the inauguration of the newly constructed Weaving Training Centre and Basic Centre in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj on Wednesday.

"The inauguration of the Araihazar Weaving Training Centre and Basic Centre is a major milestone for our handloom sector," the State Minister said. "This is not merely a facility; it is a vital platform designed to generate skilled weavers, introduce modern technologies, foster innovative designs, and nurture new entrepreneurs."

Highlighting the historical significance of the region, he noted that Araihazar has long been a major hub for handloom weaving in industrialized Narayanganj. Institutional support for local weavers began here in 1987 with the establishment of the Basic Centre. Currently operating with 51 primary and two secondary weaver cooperatives, the centre has distributed approximately Tk 17.49 crore in loans to 2,660 local weavers to date.

"The new training centre will provide advanced training to approximately 300 weavers annually," he explained.

Furthermore, the State Minister noted that the government is actively working on the restoration of heritage GI products like Muslin, Jamdani, and Benarasi, pointing to the ongoing developments of the Muslin and Jamdani Villages in Rupganj.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by local Member of Parliament (Narayanganj-2) Nazrul Islam Azad, Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles and Jute Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairman of the Bangladesh Handloom Board Abu Ahmed Siddiquee, Narayanganj Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sifat Uddin, and Araihazar UNO Md. Asadur Rahman.