Dhuliyan, April 28 -- It is around 9 am and work is already in the full swing at a prominent bidi manufacturing factory in Dhuliyan, a town in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, with dozens of men arranging and stacking bidis in neat concentric rings in the bamboo baskets kept in front of them.
An elderly man, with grey hair and beard, is taking a leisurely stroll in the courtyard of the factory, located near the Dak Bungalow crossing, keeping a watch on the workers.
"The bidi-making industry is concentrated in this part of West Bengal. Most of the top bidi factories are located at Dhulian and Aurangabad - both in Murshidabad," Zaidur Rahaman says. Rahaman is the director of Nur Bidi Works Pvt Ltd, which produces around 10 million bidis...