Wrapped in Silent Wonder
Spreading a quiet, mesmerizing charm through her painted sarees—Mashhun Jahan Mugdho’s world is filled with silence. The soft patter of rain or the loud blaring of traffic horns—none of these sounds reach her ears. Yet, even in a world without sound, this young woman continues to color her own universe.
Her colors spill onto sarees—sometimes with block prints, sometimes with brushes. A boutique house in Dhaka’s Sipahibagh runs solely on her work. Its name is Mom Fanus. The boutique operates out of a small three-room rented apartment with five employees. This is where sarees named Alokananda, Banalata, Padma, and Chitrolekha are made.
Every design at Mom Fanus is created by Mugdho. The block-print patterns are also her creations. She sketches the designs on paper, which are then carved into wooden blocks. Every brushstroke on hand-painted fabric comes from her own hand.
Silence and Fear
Mugdho was born in October 2005. Her childhood brought deep worry to her mother, Mushfera Jahan. When Mugdho was only six months old, her mother suspected she might not be able to hear. The doctors’ words brought more pain: Mugdho might never be able to speak.
Mushfera told Prothom Alo, “When other children screamed with joy, my daughter would only stare at them in surprise. Only a mother knows how that feels.”
Even though the family felt their world collapsing, they did not give up. When Mugdho turned three, they enrolled her in art classes in Bogura, where they lived at the time. She was also admitted to Prayas School at Bogura Cantonment.
Mugdho’s first art teacher, Zakia Sultana, said, “Mugdho was my youngest student. She used to hold a feeder bottle while attending class. Sometimes she didn’t want to leave. Give her a pencil and she’d draw beautifully.”
Being speech- and hearing-impaired, Mugdho learned to understand language by watching people’s lips. Zakia said, “While speaking, we look into someone’s eyes. But Mugdho watches lips. I used to show her colors and use hand gestures to guide her during drawing.”
Lively in Colors
From an early age, Mugdho painted exceptionally well. She has won many national-level awards—competitions by Shishu Academy, World Children’s Day and Child Rights Week celebrations, World Breastfeeding Week events, and various state programs.
She later adapted her childhood drawing skills to clothing design. One day, her mother posted a photo on Facebook of a panjabi painted by Mugdho. Immediately, 33 more orders came in for the same design.
This was in 2014, when Mugdho was just a sixth grader. Mushfera said that Mugdho painted every panjabi by hand within the deadline. This marked the beginning of Mugdho’s journey in fashion design.
The Rise of Mom Fanus
Mushfera started the boutique in 2020, thinking about her daughter’s future. Today, the business runs almost entirely on Mugdho’s artistry.
Mushfera works as a sewing trainer at the Bangladesh National Deaf Association and conducts workshops in different places.
She said, “Mugdho’s father once held a high-ranking private-sector job. Since the COVID pandemic, he hasn’t been employed. Her elder brother studies in the Theatre and Performance Studies Department at Dhaka University and tutors a few students. For now, the family depends mostly on the boutique.”
Mom Fanus mainly handles wholesale orders. Mushfera manages orders, deliveries, and accounts. Mugdho focuses on creating new color palettes, perfecting brush designs, arranging block-print plates, and transforming plain fabrics into something unique.
The family is now planning to expand Mom Fanus—possibly even outside Dhaka—because they can no longer handle the rising number of orders with limited space and staff.
A Silent Marriage
Mugdho is now an HSC student at Habibullah Bahar College under the Open University. She got married earlier this year. Her husband is also hearing-impaired, so they communicate through sign language.
However, she continues living with her mother, as she still needs her assistance to run Mom Fanus.
We communicated with Mugdho through written messages over the phone. When asked what she enjoys during leisure time, she replied that she loves watching movies with English subtitles.
She shared with us some of her paintings—most of them centered around eyes. She is particularly fascinated by different human gazes.
A Mother’s Ache, A Daughter’s Art
Although many admire Mugdho’s talent, her mother still carries deep sorrow. She said, “My daughter is so talented and so patient. As a mother, it hurts when I see even a myna bird can mimic speech, but my child cannot speak.”
But Mugdho pays no attention to such grief. Each day she immerses herself in new colors and new ideas. From this quiet world are born sarees named Banalata, Alokananda, and Padma, which find their way to various brand stores across the country. Buyers may never know that each design holds the story of a young woman rising above her limitations.
Mugdho cannot speak—but through colors, she keeps saying:
“I can.”
Source: The Daily Prothomalo
