Arang started four decades ago with the aim of poverty alleviation and employment in the country. The philosophy of the development of human life with the heritage, aesthetics and modern business strategy has shaped a unique brand, which is the world's largest private development company, BRAC's associate organization. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Aarong, BRAC senior director Tamara Hasan Abed talked about the production process, giving fair prices to the producers, ownership of the organization, profit, business issues, etc. Rajiv Ahmed interviewed.
Prothom Alo: Arang started its journey in 1978. How much is the business expansion of the day?
Tamara Abed: We now have 20 outlets in the country. In these outlets, we sell 100 types of clothing and lifestyle products. And if the design says it is countless, it is countless. In the year 2017, the sale of our products was Tk 850 crore. The sales volume is growing at an average of 15 percent per year. In the new year we launched a brand named 'Taga Man', which is selling men's clothing. An outlet of it was opened at Dhanmondi at Satmasjid Road. As a result, our number of outlets can say 21. But our aim is to promote women's employment, poverty alleviation and country crafts.
Prothom Alo: I am coming in that context. If you tell the story of Arang, why and how did Arang start?
Tamara Abed: BRAC's journey started in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. In 1976, various handicraft products were started by training them for poverty alleviation and the employment of rural women. Initially these products were sold in different stores of Dhaka. BRAC noticed that shopkeepers did not pay the handcuffs before the sale of the goods. It took a long time to get women to pay. From here on, the idea of establishing one of their own centers of sale has come. Two years later, a business center of Aarong started at Sobhanbagh in the capital. Since then, Aarong's vision is poverty alleviation and employment of women. We make a price as soon as the products are manufactured and supplied. 45 percent of Aarong's workers are women.
Prothom Alo: What is the production process of Arang? How many people create the product for you now?
Tamara Abed: Aarong is a social enterprise. Its products are not made in one or two big factories. The products of Aarang are spread in the villages and villages of Bangladesh. In a fencing house, a woman produces products such as aarang, and in some small factories, the products of Aarong are made. This is a complex product manufacturing system.
Prothom Alo: I would like to know if I have a handkerchief in the hand.
Tamara Abed: If the cloth of Punjabi is cotton, then it may be made in Narsingdi. If it is silk, then it is in Chapainawabganj. Here are our designers designing. Someone takes the design. Go to the village and make the product again. Going back to the village for the embroidery. In this way people are involved in creating a garment and engaging in different areas. After that, the sale was found in Dhaka, Bogra or anywhere else. Thus, many people are joining the process of production. We produce this complex process and sell it to the people in the right order, at the root of the rural employment. It's not expensive but expensive.
Prothom-alo: How many people work with you, it is not known.
Tamara Abed: A few years ago, 65 thousand people produced products for Aarong. But I think it's 75 thousand now.
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