Janata Sadat has enrolled 1,200 female workers and community members in its inaugural Women in Jute upskilling initiative — a 12-week programme designed to qualify participants for higher-grade production roles, quality assurance positions, and export administration functions across the AkijBashir Group.
The programme, operated from the newly inaugurated Janata Sadat Skills Centre in Narsingdi, was developed jointly with the Bangladesh Skills Development Institute (BSDI) and carries BTEB-recognised certification. Four course tracks are available: Advanced Shuttle-Loom Operation, Fabric Quality Inspection, Hessian Finishing and Grading, and Export Documentation and Compliance. Graduates receive a competency certificate recognised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) framework.
Programme Statistics — Inaugural Cohort
- 011,200 participants enrolled across four course tracks
- 0268% are existing Janata Sadat production workers seeking grade advancement
- 0332% are community members from Narsingdi and Palash upazilas
- 04Three instructors seconded from BSDI; two from Janata Sadat's QA department
- 05Childcare facility provided on-site for participants with dependants
- 0662% completion rate in pilot Phase I; target 80% for full cohort
“A mill is only as strong as its people. When we invest in the technical skills and economic independence of the women who form the backbone of our workforce, we are not doing charity — we are building competitive capacity that will serve this company, and this industry, for the next generation.”
Participants who complete the Quality Inspection track are eligible for direct employment as Class-A QA Inspectors, a grade that carries a 22% premium over standard production-floor wages under the Bangladesh national minimum wage framework for the jute sector. The Skills Centre has capacity for two cohorts per year and plans to expand enrolment to 2,000 participants by 2025.
