We grew this factory

Najma Chaudhary

There are currently 16,000 women working as 'mid-level managers' in Bangladesh's main export manufacturing garment industry. This journey of women began with the hand of the woman whose hand, it was Najma Chaudhary. She is the first female quality controller, designer and line chief of Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector.

Garments are the pioneer country of Bangladesh’s garment sector as well as manufacturing industry. Najma Chowdhury was one of the 133 workers and mid-level managers that the country sent in 1979 to the garment factory of the world-renowned Dayu Company in Busan, South Korea, to train in modern garment machines.  

"In 1979, I saw a huge advertisement in the daily Ittefaq newspaper that some people would be taken to South Korea for training to work in ready-made garment factories. When they return home after training, they will get a job. "

He also said that the country has signed an agreement with Dayu of Garments Korea to set up an export-oriented garment factory in joint ventures. Dayu was one of the largest industrial units in Korea. Since Bangladesh did not have the opportunity to get orders directly from foreign buyers, it was agreed that the country would take the Dayu order and transfer it to garments, in return for which they would get a commission at a certain rate.

After joining Desh Garments after completing his training, in 1980 or 81, he was paid Rs 6,000 as a mid-level manager, which was several times more than the salary of a first-class government official at that time.
What kind of training was there? Najma Chowdhury said that basically basic training. How a shirt is made. In how many steps. All the steps were taught separately. Sitting on a machine, one would make a part, not a full shirt. The way garment factories work today, just like that. That is, chain production, which was not yet in any garment factory in Bangladesh.

"The biggest challenge at the time was to get workers. With the success of country garments, other entrepreneurs also came forward to invest in this sector.

Pointing out that there were a lot of differences with the design of the factory at that time, he said, "Now everything happens on a computer. Many factories have their own design studios. But at that time, the paper had to be drawn. The paper was not easily available. "
Najma Chowdhury got married in 1983 while working in the country garments. After the marriage, her husband's reluctance interfered with her work for a few months, but she persuaded her husband to join work again.

He said he has also played a role in creating quality departments of several factories outside these companies. However, he did not work in any other factory after leaving Evins last in 2006. Since then, she has spent most of her time with her two children living in the United States and the United Kingdom. Come to the country in rarely. Her daughter completed her studies at the University of Cambridge in the UK and her son from Rutgers University in the US and is now successful in her career.

Today, Bangladesh's $35 billion, the world's second-largest ready-made garment export industry, stands on the foundation built by them through the export of garments worth $12,000. 
Najma Chowdhury said, "What does it feel like to see clothes with 'Made in Bangladesh' written on foreign soil. I can't explain. We grew this factory. "

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