Nazmun Nahar Naznin: My life revolves around fabric. It is the core of my existence. I am Nazmun Nahar Naznin. I founded An Najah Fashion. I own this company. My work is not just about selling clothes. It is about creating them. I take a piece of plain cloth. I turn it into something beautiful. My focus is on modest wear. We make dresses. We make burqas. We produce abayas and hijabs. This is a hands-on profession. I am involved in every step.
The process starts at the wholesale market. Sourcing fabric is an art. You have to touch the material. You have to feel the weight. I go to the big wholesale hubs in Bangladesh. These places are crowded and loud. There are thousands of rolls of fabric. I have to find the best quality. I look for the right colors. I negotiate the prices. If I buy bad fabric, the dress will be bad. If I pay too much, I cannot sell it at a good price. This is the first challenge of my job.
Once the fabric is bought, it comes to my factory. This is where the magic happens. I do not outsource this work. I run the factory myself. I have a team of workers. We lay out the fabric on big tables. We cut it according to specific patterns. Then the sewing begins. The sound of sewing machines is the music of my business. We pay attention to the stitching. We check the buttons. Quality control is vital. A customer will not return if a seam rips.
My products are for the modern woman. In Bangladesh, the demand for burqas and abayas is high. But women do not want boring clothes. They want style. They want to look elegant. We make hijabs that are comfortable for all-day wear. We design abayas that fit well. This combination of modesty and fashion is my niche.
However, I must speak the truth about the current situation. Business is tough right now. The last year and a half has been very difficult. The market in Bangladesh is going through a slump. I have seen sales drop. The economy is under pressure. People have less money in their pockets. When the price of rice and oil goes up, people stop buying clothes. Clothing becomes a luxury. Families prioritize food and rent. This affects business owners like me.
The cost of running the factory has also gone up. The price of electricity has increased. Transport costs are higher. The raw fabric costs more than it did two years ago. But I cannot double the price of my abayas. The customers cannot afford it. So, the profit margin gets smaller. It is a daily struggle to balance the books. Many small fashion houses have closed down. It is a testing time for us.
Despite these troubles, I am not giving up. I see a bright light ahead. The current bad situation is temporary. Markets always go up and down. The future prospects for this work are actually very good. Bangladesh is a country with a huge population. Millions of people live here. Everyone needs clothes. It is a basic necessity. You cannot go without it. This ensures that the demand will never hit zero.
The demand for modest fashion is growing, not shrinking. It is expanding. More women are choosing to wear hijabs and abayas. They wear them to universities. They wear them to offices. They wear them to parties. This means the market size is increasing. There is plenty of room for growth. The job opportunities in this sector are also strong. A fashion house needs many hands. We need cutters. We need tailors. We need sales staff. As the industry grows, it will create more jobs.
This brings me to the younger generation. I often get asked if young people should join this profession. My answer is a loud yes. They absolutely should be interested. This is not an old-fashioned trade anymore. It is dynamic. It is full of life. The youth have a lot to offer here.
Why do I say this? Because the youth bring new concepts. They see the world differently. I mentioned that women want stylish modest wear. Young designers understand this best. They know what is trending on the internet. They know what colors are in fashion. They can design abayas that appeal to university students. They can create hijabs that look modern.
Young people are also good with technology. They can sell products in ways I cannot. They can use social media to reach customers. They can build brands online. A physical shop is not the only way anymore. You can run a huge business from a Facebook page. The youth understand this digital world. They can take a local brand and make it global.
There is a future here because of this innovation. The old ways of selling plain clothes are fading. The new way is about branding. It is about presenting a lifestyle. Young entrepreneurs are perfect for this. They have the energy. They have the creativity. They should not look down on this trade. It is a respectful and profitable path.
Of course, they must be ready to work. It is not easy money. You have to deal with the heat in the market. You have to manage workers in the factory. You have to deal with the slow sales periods. But if you have the passion, it is rewarding. You create something real. You see people wearing your designs on the street. That is a great feeling.
The demand for our work fits the culture of Bangladesh. We are a country that values tradition. But we are also modernizing. My business sits right in the middle. We respect tradition with our modest cuts. We embrace modernity with our designs. This balance is why I am confident about the future.
I am building An Najah Fashion to last. I want it to be a name people trust. The last eighteen months have taught me patience. They have taught me how to survive with less. These are valuable lessons. Now, I am ready for the market to improve. I am ready for the next busy season.
To the young people reading this, come and join us. Bring your sketches. Bring your digital skills. The textile and fashion sector of Bangladesh is legendary. We supply clothes to the world. But the local market is just as important. There is so much work to be done here. We need your fresh eyes. We need your new ideas.
The current economic gloom will pass. The festivals will return with full joy. The weddings will be grand again. People will want new clothes. When that happens, we must be ready. I am preparing my factory for that time. I am sourcing the best fabrics. I am refining my designs. The wheels of the sewing machines will keep turning.
This profession is my passion. It allows me to be independent. It allows me to employ others. It contributes to the economy. Yes, the road is bumpy right now. But the destination is worth it. The fabric of our nation is strong. And I am proud to be a part of it. We will stitch our way through these hard times. And we will come out stronger on the other side. That is my belief. That is my promise.

– Author is Owner & Founder, An Najah Fashion