Apna Bazar

Bagnan Mahila Bikash is an organization that started its journey with production and marketing activities. This initiative was the first source of income for women's development. Currently, this program is an approved consumer cooperative.It was registered in 2017. Currently, four producer groups produce and supply to this cooperative. Every month, this cooperative purchases products worth more than 300,000 from these producer groups. In addition to meeting the primary needs of cooperative members society purchase necessary products from open market. More than 50 women are employed here. This cooperative currently sells products worth more than 700,000 taka per month. Until November 2021, this cooperative had sold 55 lakh rupees worth of products. There are ten workers in this cooperative, and the number of salespeople is 20.
As a result of the formation of "Apna Bazar", rural women took the opportunity to take training and improve their skills, leading to the creation of employment. One production unit after another started to emerge. The first unit that was established was called the "Food Processing" unit. Its main job is to produce various types of spices, jam, jelly, pickles, chips, papad, chanachur, chutney, etc. Rice, lentils, salt, oil, etc. are also sold. The responsibility for managing this food processing unit is a self-help group called "Sanghati". They also operate a canteen where people who came from outside can enjoy various foods such as tea, biscuits, murhi, ghugni, chops, singara, and egg rolls. Additionally, people can order food and have it delivered to their homes. Currently, this team sells goods worth approximately 35 lakh rupees each year.
The food is not the only necessary thing, clothing is also an essential item. Therefore a new unit formed for tailoring and knitting. Some girls from the group were trained and formed it. They started making items such as bed sheets, nighties, mosquito nets, bed covers, pillow covers, along with necessary items like blankets, towels, and sheets. They also made umbrellas and bags. They operate under the name of "Swanirvar" and are a self-reliant group. Currently, they sell items worth 500,000 rupees per year. During this pandemic, almost 30 women were appointed and engaged in the production of Masks. While doing this work, they not only provide protection to the people of this area but also helped to increase their own income during this time.

I would now like to talk about another group called "Chetana". This unit produces chemical products such as soap, phenyl, candles, incense, etc. These products are essential items for every household. Their annual sales are around 3,00,000 rupees.

In addition to these units, Bagnan Mahila Bikash, through various types of training, organizes employment opportunities for rural women. For example, training on organic methods of agriculture and distribution of seeds. With their help, rural women can cultivate these seeds in their backyard and grow vegetables without the use of fertilizers and pesticides. They can also sell any excess produce for additional income. This year, more than 13,000 families have been supplied with seeds worth more than 100,000 rupees. In order to make women self-relient economically by cultivating in this improved method, another producer group has been formed in the Muragabariya village under the Bangalpur Panchayat, and training has been provided to them. There are a total of 24 women in this group whose primary goal is to cultivate using organic methods, eat pesticide-free vegetables themselves, and provide toxin-free food to the people of the area.

This initiative has provided training in musroom cultivation to about 40 women in the villages of Gadi, Bagur, Nasibpur, and Kalyanpur. They are all members of self-help groups for development. All of these women want to increase their income by cultivating mushrooms in their own homes alongside their regular household chores. In the current situation, this is highly effective. As a result of this cultivation, not only will their income increase, but also nutritious food like mushrooms will be consumed, which will enhance the disease prevention capacity of the general public. Additionally, the surplus production will be sold at "Apna Bazar" stall. 
The reconstruction has already started at the Ganja Tant Kendra, which was the first production center of Bganan Mahila Bikash. However, when the wheel of faith started spinning at a fast pace, the weavers had to bear the brunt, including power cuts and shortage of raw materials. They used to spend the day weaving thick sheets. The solar light system was also shut down. But in the current situation, the weavers have once again experienced the revival of this Tant center. So, three solar lights have already been installed there. Work is underway to make khesh and fabric for bag making, mobile covers, and designs, and they also plan to make a gamcha using the same fabric. All the produced items will be sold at the "Apna Bazar" stall. 
Bagnan Mahila Bikash has been working in Bagnan-1 Block. There are 82 villages and 10 gram panchayats under this block. They are now planning to establish one production center in each village panchayat so that more women can find work. Already, Bagnan Mahila Bikash formed a consumer cooperative, which has two sales counters and field workers who go door-to-door to sell various items made by women. In the last financial year, goods worth 70 lakh rupees were sold through this cooperative. The target for next year is to sell more than 1 crore rupees worth of goods. To achieve this, the amount of raw materials produced by these production units will have to be increased. More and more daily necessities will need to be produced. These very women of the self-reliant team will reach the homes of every village in Baganan with those products. A new chapter of self-reliance will be created. 

Product Being Sold 

• Spices 

• Detergent powder 

• Phenyl 

• Food products 

• Garmen 

Why do they buy from us 

• For Quality product 

• For Reasonable price 

• For Home delivery 

• For Advantage of installment payment 

Why Apna Bazar?

• Known Buyers 

• Sustainable Programme

• Control over the Market

Apna Bazar at Bagnan