Bogura, S'ganj weavers in a tight corner

OUR CORRESPONDENT

BOGURA, Dec 25: Weavers of Bogura and Sirajganj are now in a tight spot due to soaring prices raw materials, including dye and yarn, on the international market forcing many of them to quit their ancestral profession.

Besides, entry of the Indian saree and clothes into the country's markets through different borders has caused a reduction in the demand for the locally-made woven products.

Due to low cost, many are being interested to buy Indian saree and three-pieces instead of the handloom products.

Under these circumstances, many weaving factories have been shut down. Many other factories will be closed if the prices of yarn and dye remain unchanged.

Many artisans of Benarashi village in Sherpur upazila of Bogura district and handloom workers of Belkuchi, Shahzadpur, Chowhali, Kazipur and Sadar upazila in Sirajganj district have already changed their profession and are now maintaining their livelihoods by pulling rickshaws or vans while many are on way to leave the profession due to drastic fall in the woven products' demand and prices.

Insiders said the prices of yarn and dye have increased two to three times in the last few months for their low production resulting from their extreme crisis.

Traders and factory owners cannot import sufficient raw materials due to the prevailing dollar crisis and LC (letter of credit) complications from the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Local sources said a good number of artisans who are involved in production of Benarashi saree live in Gholagari Colony in Sherpur upazila of Bogura district.

Locals know them as Bihari as many of them came from the Bihar state of India decades ago.

Another community of the weavers lives in Nadiapara village, adjacent of Gholagari Colony in the same upazila of Bogura district.

Over 200 families of the two villages in Sherpur upazila have been involved in the production of Benarashi Saree for long.

But now, their trade is on the verge of ruination due to price hike of yarn and dye as well as availability of Indian clothes in different local markets.

To survive in the current situation, many artisans of Benarashi villages have changed their strategies and started producing Zamdani, Katan and Dhupian sarees instead of producing handloom products.

During a spot visit to the Benarashi villages, this correspondent found that most of the factories were closed while some were fighting to survive in the competitive markets by producing Katan and Zamdani Sarees as alternative.

Those Sarees are sold at between Tk18,000 and Tk 20,000 each to some showrooms in Mirpur of Dhaka, weavers said.

Besides, Belkuchi, Shahzadpur, Chowhali, Ullapara, Kazipur and Sirajganj Sadar upazila are rich and prominent for high quality handloom products especially saree, lungi and gamchha (napkin).

But many weavers in the areas are now looking for new jobs due to poor income in this sector.

Due to high production costs of clothes, they cannot adjust their living costs with their earnings.

They are being forced to leave their profession and are searching new works. About 0.1 million (one lakh) handloom factories out of three lakh in the five upazilas of Sirajganj district have already been closed in the last one and a half years due to the crisis.

Azahar Ali, 45, a weaver of Nadiapara Benarashi village in Sherpur upazila of Bogura district said, "Production of Benarashi Saree has decreased compared to previous years due to abnormal price hike of yarn and dye. However, I have eight looms in my factory, where 12 workers are involved in production. But I can't pay their wages timely due to poor sale."

He added, "I can't purchase yarn and dye as per my need for the soaring prices. Besides, recent political turmoil has hit our business hard."

Fazal Mian,55, a handloom factory owner of Belkuchi in Sirajganj district said, "Six handlooms out of 20 in my factory have been closed in the last six months due to high prices of necessary ingredients. Many more are on the way to shutdown."

Hazi Badiuzzaman, president of Bangladesh Handloom and Power-loom Owners Association's Sirajganj district unit, said, "The price of per pound different types of cotton has increased by Tk120 to Tk150 while the price of dye has increased in a same scale. As a result, weavers can't afford the costs. They are leaving the profession one after one."

The weavers have urged the government and NGOs to extend their helping hands to them by providing interest-free loan in order to protect the traditional industry.

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