quarterly newsletter of ecota fair trade forum - eftfbd.orgeftfbd.org/bookfile/2013090417.pdf ·...

Quarterly Newsletter of ECOTA Fair Trade Forum

Welcome to ECOTA Fair Trade

Forum’s Newsletter! We are

really proud and honored to

have you in the long passage of

ECOTA since 1990’s. Over two

decades ECOTA has been

carrying and visualizing the

importance of Fair Trade and

struggling to uplift the income

generation of the poor

artisans, producers’ through

the member organizations of

ECOTA. It not only changes the

economic condition of the

marginal artisans of our

country but also symbolizes

our culture, tradition through

local handicraft and textile

sector. Through this long

passage, ECOTA tried to

acquaint its members,

associates and all the admirers

with a good number of

projects, workshops, seminars,

t r a i n i n g , a d v o c a c y ,

campaigning on handicraft

sector of Bangladesh. We have

your continuous support and

comfort in our unforgettable

memories, achievements and

in our sorrows and struggles

that gave us the momentum to

work for the Fair Trade! ECOTA

did not put an end to its

movement for fighting against

poverty through Fair Trade.

After a short interval, we are

hoping to present some event

as an ice break up. Here we

are to cherish you with some

fresh news to make you more

optimistic and dynamic thinker.

The Celebration of World Fair

Trade Day 2012, some effective

experience sharing seminar

update information, news on

present implementing project

titled “Establishing and

Enhancing a Sustainable South-

South Fair Trade Partnership”

supporting by Fredskorpset-

Norway and some moments

with foreign delegations of Fair

Trade Hong Kong Foundation

expect to give you the essence

of social movement. We are

also proud to get the chance to

news on our artisans, producer

groups that we located in

“Members’ Corner: My

Organization”

We have done exercise on our

strategic planning with the

participation of members with

enthusiasm. The report is

under process. I must thank my

friends and colleagues in the

present board of ECOTA. They

are providing their time,

positive thinking. I would also

like to be thankful to general

members of ECOTA for their

contribution. However, in the

context of Bangladesh, we

need to do more advocacies

and campaign work to promote

Fair Trade.

Finally, I would like to greatly

r e m e m b e r L a t e M r .

Mohammad Islam for his

contribution as a pioneer of

ECOTA, first Fair Trade country

network in the globe.

Shah Abdus Salam

Chair Person

Ecota Fair Trade Forum

Message from the Chair Person

ECOTA Fair Trade Forum

June 2012

Volume 1, Issue 1

World Fair Trade Day Celebration, May 13, 2012

2

ECOTA Executive Committee Members for 2011

2

ECOTA attended the seminar on " Exploring handicrafts- home textiles and Leather goods through Mega Show-2 in Hong Kong and Exploring Bangladesh Apparel in Europe through Asia Apparel Expo in Berlin Germany" on 26th of June 2012 at Sonargaon Hotel organized by Lord Incorporate.

2

Ten members delegation from Fair Trade Hong Kong

3

Korea Visit by Mr. Monjurul Haque, Artisan Hut

3

Home Coming Seminar for Participants of Fredskorpset-

4

Workshop on “Strategic Planning of ECOTA Fair Trade Forum”

4

New Members of ECOTA Family 5

Upcoming Events: World Fair

Trade Organization ASIA

Conference” Goa, India

6

Members’ Corner: My

Organization

6

Inside this issue:

“ECOTA is the National

Network of Fair Trade

Organizations in

Bangladesh”

Bangladesh has celebrated its journey of World Fair Trade

Day 2012. ECOTA Fair Trade Forum organized seminar with

the School students on May 13, 2012 at Dhaka YWCA

School & College, Dhaka. I want Fair World; I Support Fair

Trade- is the

theme of

t h i s

Celebration

Day. ECOTA

took the

privilege to

disseminate

the message

of the Fair

Trade to the

young generation those who will one day guide the

movement of Fair Trade. Mr. Shah Abdus Salam,

Chairperson of EFTF, chaired the seminar and speaker of

the theme was Ms. Bertha Gity Baroi, Vice Chairperson of

EFTF. Mr. U Thein Maung, Treasurer of EFTF. Mr.

Mustafizul Islam, BRAC Aarong, Ms. Shefali

Halder, Prokritee, Mr. Christopher Sarker,

OASIS Transformation Ltd, Ms. Rina Bishwas,

YWCA Craft Centre and Ms. Bashobi Halder,

Assistant General Secretary of Dhaka YWCA

were also present there as guest speakers in

the seminar. Mr. Milton Suranjit Ratna,

Development Manager of CORR the Jute

Work, facilitated the seminar. It is worth

mentioning that, our hearts of program: the

a r t i s a n s , p r o d u c e r s ,

entrepreneurs, social thinkers

and the students enriched and

encouraged very much by their

valuable presence. The

honorable guests convey their

messages and finally the

seminar end up with the

conclusion of arranging a

cultural show by presenting a

drama on Fair Trade by the

women artisans of CORR – The

Jute Works. There was a Fair

Trade product show on the

campus ground. The students

and their parents rushed to

purchase the crafts. They also

proclaimed their support to Fair

Trade.

Handicrafts to achieve business opportunities

for international buyers and Asian

manufacturers. In this regard, Kenfair

Exhibition (Hong Kong) Limited took initiatives

to organize an exhibition- Mega Show 2012

Part 2 that will be held from October 27

through October 29, 2012 at Hong Kong

Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) 1

Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong, S.A.R. And

“Asia Apparel Expo BERLIN Messe Berlin, 19-

21 February 2013 at Messe Berlin Exhibition

ECOTA attended the seminar on "

Exploring handicrafts- home textiles

and Leather goods through Mega

Show-2 in Hong Kong and Exploring

Bangladesh Apparel in Europe through

Asia Apparel Expo in Berlin Germany"

on 26th of June 2012 at Sonargaon

Hotel organized by Lord Incorporate.

The seminar mainly focused on

promoting office Supplies, stationery,

home decor products, Gifts & Grounds, Berlin, Germany, Hall 11.1 & Hall 17

World Fair Trade Day Celebration, May 13, 2012

Seminar on “Mega Show-2 in Hong Kong” and “Exploring Bangladesh Apparel in Europe through Asia Apparel Expo in Berlin Germany”.

• Ms. Tanu Dey, Member

• Ms.Shahnaj Parveen, Member

The present Executive Committee Members

was selected by the General Body of ECOTA

on the Annual General Meeting that was

held on 29th of October 2011. Right now

the Executive Committee is focusing on

taking preparation for participating the

World Fair Trade Organization Asia

Conference 2012, Goa India; Strategic

Planning of ECOTA; Self Assessment

Report of ECOTA and current initiatives

under FK-Norway project.

Members of Executive Committee for 2011-2013

• Mr. Shah Abdus Salam, Chair Person

• Ms. Bertha Gity Baroi, Vice Chair Person

• Mr. U Thein Maung, Treasurer

• Mr. Monjurul Haque, Member

• Ms. Khadija Sultana, Member

• Mr. Subrata Saha, Member

Quarter ly Newslet ter o f ECOTA Fa ir Trade Forum Volume 1, I ssue 1

Korea Visit Program, Mr. Monjurul Haque, Artisan Hut

Ten members delegation from “Fair Trade Hong Kong”

This is going to be a great prospect to

promote our traditional Handicrafts and

home textile in the world market. We

hope the participation in Hong Kong Mega

Show 2- Asian Home Textile Zone and Asia

Apparel Expo BERLIN will be a real

platform for us to promote our members

to increase their export. In this regard, the

Exhibitor reserved attractive offerings

for booth reservation.

For more details, you can visit

www.asiaapparelexpo.com www.mega-

show.com

learn that Fair Trade Hong

Kong Foundation advocates

Fair Trade in different sectors

of the society such as-Fair

Trade Partnership Program

encourages corporations, non-

profit organizations, schools,

individuals and students to join

them and work together to

promote Fair Trade in Hong

Kong. ECOTA may consider

having the opportunity to

create Fair Trade Event by

promoting Fair Trade Tourism,

Fair Trade as a Social

Movement, Internship program

on experience sharing of

Design Experts between ECOTA

and other countries.

The meeting summed up with

s o m e e n t h u s i a s t i c

conversations of new hope and

future planning to take ECOTA

in its right direction.

It is ECOTA’s pleasure to have

the opportunity to spend some

moments with Fair Trade Hong

Kong Foundation on 27th of

June 2012 at ECOTA

Secretariat. Mr. Shah Abdus

Salam, Chair Person of ECOTA

and Mr. Milton Suranjit Ratna,

Development Manager of

CORR the Jute Work hosted the

ten delegates of the respective

organization. Fair Trade Hong

Kong Foundation (formerly

known as Fair Trade Hong

Kong) was founded in January

2008 in Hong Kong, later

incorporated into a private

company limited by guarantee,

and registered as a charitable

organization in October 2010.

ECOTA and its Member

Organizations were happy to

TV Channels. The idea of the

Fair Trade was quite

innovative for the Korean and

gave them the keen interest

to work in this field. This is

indeed a very encouraging for

the Fair Trade practitioner of

Bangladesh.

During visit to Korea, Mr.

Monjurul Haque got the

opportunity to share the

knowledge on Fair Trade

practice with the Korean

people. It was also very

enthusiastic to learn that the

sharing program was

telecasted on some Korean

ECOTA and its Member

Organizations were

happy to learn that Fair

Trade Hong Kong

Foundation advocates..


Workshop on “Strategic Planning of ECOTA Fair Trade Forum”

Home Coming Seminar for Participants under Fredskorpset-Norway Project

home country send out six participants of

ECOTA’s Member Organization- DEW, TSDS,

Prokritee, SEDS and NRDS to Nepal and

India.

Accordingly, for the 2011-12 Phase, ECOTA

selected three participants from

Development Wheel, Socio-Economic

Development Society and Prokritee who

had received training on ‘Retail Outlet

Coordination’ & ‘Handmade Paper

Technology’. To disseminate the acquired

knowledge and share the experience on

that particular issue the respective

participants delivered a power-point

presentation on the homecoming

seminar that held on 7th of July 2012

at ECOTA secretariat, 6/4 A (Ground

Floor), Sir Syed Ahmed Road

Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207. Mr. Shah

Abdus Salam, Chair Person, had

chaired the program. Ms. Bertha Gity

Baroi, Vice Chairperson, Mr. U Thein

Maung, Treasurer, Ms. Tanu Dey,

Member and the delegates of the

member organizations were present in

that seminar.

ECOTA Fair Trade Forum is successfully

implementing the project entitle

“Establishing and Enhancing a Sustainable

South-South Fair Trade Partnership” with

the support of Fredskorpset- Norway from

the year of 2008. The project involves

exchange of participants between Fair

Trade Group Nepal, Fair Trade Forum-

India, and ECOTA Fair Trade Forum to

transfer knowledge and skill on Crafts

Process and techniques, and Crafts

Marketing and promotion. ECOTA as a

host country received four participants

from Fair Trade Group Nepal and as a

the workshop on Strategic

Planning of ECOTA that was held on July

14, 2012 at ECOTA Secretariat at 6/4A, Sir

Syed Ahmed Road, Mohammadpur,

Dhaka-1207. Mr. U Thein Maung,

Treasurer of ECOTA facilitated the

It is great news for all of our

members to be concerned about

the Designing structure of ECOTA.

“Where would we like to visualize

ECOTA” and “How can we help

ECOTA reach to the destination”

encouraged us to think through

workshop. The Chair Person of the organization

and all the Executive Committee Members, the

Executive Directors and the delegates of the

member organizations’ invaluable presence

made the whole programme noteworthy to

take an effective decision for future planning.


New Members of ECOTA Family

In last two years, we are fortunate to have six organizations those who had shown their keen interest to join in our family. Let us

have a look on details-


Sl.No. Name of the Organization Brief Notes of the organization

01. ADORE ADORE was formed in 1992, as a development organization, to work in the south-west part

of Bangladesh, particularly in greater Khulna district. They provide services covering the area

of Khulna Metro City & 3 Upazilas (sub-districts) under Khulna district. ADORE has established

a training & production center named AROMVI (to begin) in the heart of Khulna metro city.

Generally, AROMVI provides all sorts of need based skill development training like;

handicrafts, sewing, embroidery, screen-printing, fashion designing, snacks & confectionery

items preparation etc.

02. Baby Smile Baby Smile started its journey in 1998. As a Fashion Design and manufacturing company, they

mainly produce cotton wear for children (0-13), women, men’s wear and household items.

The geographical coverage of the Handicraft Programme is in Manikganj, Tangail, Jamalpur,

Madhobi, Demra and Dhaka district. The organization has approx. 60 indirect beneficiaries

who are involved with weaving, designing, etc. The organization has four (4) showrooms in

different shopping complexes of Dhaka city such as- Rapa Plaza, Metro Plaza, Boshundhora

City Shopping Complex and in Banani named “Smile”.

03. Gandhi Ashram Trust Gandhi Ashram Trust started their journey in 1947. Gandhi Ashram Trust is rooted with the

‘Peace Mission’ of Mahatma Gandhi immediate after the communal riot in 1946 at Noakhali

district. Gandhi Ashram is working in Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Feni and Comilla district of

Bangladesh. There are a number of 63 producers under “Center for Handicrafts & Alternative

Research on Khadi – CHARKA” unit where they are producing mainly different designed cloth

and Khadi (a hand woven indigenous cotton cloth of Bangladesh). They also produce

different products from Khadi and weaved cloth. The production range per year is 8000 to

12,000 meter.

04. MOTIF LTD. Motif Ltd. as a Joint Venture Private Limited Company was established in 1998. Motif Ltd. is

working in Mymenshing, Manikganj, Jessore Tangail and Gazipur district of Bangladesh. New

ranges of hand woven table linens, embroidered bags, tailored bathrobes, slippers and many

other accessories. A total number of 110 producers are involved in this organization.

05. Oasis Transformation

Limited

Oasis Transformation Limited is situated in 2008 under EPZ (located at Uttara of Dhaka city).

It is a transformational business, based in Nilphamari district of Bangladesh. The organization

started operational activities with international trading in 2009. They have also a final

processing plant in Nilphamari Export Processing Zone and a pre-processing unit within

bamboo community at Nilphamari. They export in UK and Netherlands. The production

ranges of this organization are urn (a kind of basket) and bamboo made coffin such as

Bamboo Coffin, Willow Coffin and Seagrass Coffin. Approximate 100 producers are involved

with this respective organization.

06. Swajan Crafts Swajan Crafts is a manufacturing and 100% exporting company of indigenous handicrafts of

Bangladesh. Swajan crafts was established in 1999. Swajan works with 850 handicraft

producers and all of them are woman. The organization has ten production centers in kalaiya,

Bogi, Basbaria, Baharampur (in Patuakhali district), Birisiri, Kalmakanda, Durgapur (in

Netrokona district), Badda -1, Badda-2 (in Dhaka) and Tongi in Gazipur district. They export in

UK, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Japan, Italy, France and Australia.

Upcoming Events: World Fair Trade Organization ASIA Conference” Goa, India

• Venue: Bogmallo Beach Resort, Goa India,

• Arrival and registration: 9th October, 2012

• Conference and AGMs: 10-12th October, 2012

• Departure or producers visits: 13th October, 2012

The ASIA Conference is knocking at

the door! The Conference is going

to be held from 10-12 October

2012 at Bogmailo Beach Resort,

Goa, India.

“Make this your Fair Trade

trip treat, share your sights

in the discussion and enjoy

GOA’s white sand beaches

and cenery!”

Members’ Corner: My Organization

In this section, from next volume onwards and with your collaboration and cooperation, we would love to present the profile of

Member Organizations of ECOTA. Would you like to be featured? Send us an email through [email protected]

We would love to feature our Member Organizations’ special event to our Newsletter.

Editorial Board:

Shah Abdus Salam, Bertha Gity Baroi,

U Thein Maung, Khadija Sultana & Tanu Dey

Reported by:

Angela Malakar

Published by:


Address

6/4 A, Sir Syed Ahmed Road,

Mohammadpur, Dhaka-1207

Find us on the web:

www.eftfbd.org

Tel: +88-02-8126593, 9110451

Cell: +88-01742310425

Email: [email protected]

National Network of Fair Trade Organizations

in Bangladesh



P o w e r e d b y : w w w . a u t h e n t i c s o f t . n e t

quarterly newsletter of ecota fair trade forum - eftfbd.orgeftfbd.org/bookfile/2013090417.pdf ·...

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