A factory with a difference

from the Peninsula On Line

JESSORE, Bangladesh • Located in Jessore, approximately 35 minutes' flying time from the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka, the Resco Biscuit Factory makes cookies with a difference.

It is not too often a biscuit factory gets a seal of approval from an organisation like the World Food Programme (WFP), but this particular manufacturing unit has received the recognition. The seal doesn't come easily as manufacturers have to pass stringent tests and moreover, Resco also supplies high-energy biscuits to Bangladeshis who are classified as living below the poverty line.

The factory in Jessore cranks out 40 metric tons a day of biscuits and it should be noted the unit is also a commercial enterprise. Visitng journalists as well as WFP and FAO officials were given a tour of the factory yesterday. The delegation was led by Gaddy Vasquez, US ambassador to UN Relief Agencies in Rome.

Resco's workforce is made up of predominantly women. Better yet, Resco offers childcare facilities for the workers' children as well as classes. It is something of an exercise in social welfare and as one official put it: "When a mother comes here to work, she can do so with peace of mind as she knows her child is being taken care of."

There is a laboratory which tests the mixture that goes into the finished product ensuring the right nutrients such as soya and vegetable oil are poured in the right balance. The biscuits are distributed in the local markets and also make their way to impoverished Bangladeshis, mainly children. Factory officials were quick to point out the biscuits should in no way be considered as a meal in itself, but more as a high-energy supplement.