Cox's Bazar blacksmithing industry in a tight corner

Artisans' income on the wane for surging prices of raw materials, wave of modern farming and lack of buyers

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FE Team | Published: March 17, 2024 21:34:13

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OUR CORRESPONDENT
COX'S BAZAR, Mar 17: Several hundred people working in the blacksmithing industry of Cox's Bazar are living subhuman life with their families due to severe financial predicament.
Surging prices of raw materials, wave of modern farming and lack of buyers have made a sharp dent in business of the ironsmiths pushing them into irrevocable hardship.
Seeing their income on a drastic decline, many of the artisans have already switched to other professions quitting jobs in the industry.
Since the time immemorial, blacksmiths have been making objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. But with the passage of time, the industry is gradually losing its importance.
Artisans lament they are facing immense suffering due to increased prices of iron and steel, modern trend in agriculture, customer crisis, rapid surge in prices of daily commodities,
escalation in education spending for their children and other household expenses.
Workers said that they can sustain their profession and live a happy and peaceful life if the government patronises them through providing support in different ways.
They also urged the government, banks and non-government organisations (NGOs) to provide them with short-term loans.
Workers in the small-scale industry fabricate objects out of iron and steel by hot and cold forging on an anvil.
Although these objects have been used since ancient time, people are no longer interested in using these. As a result, the number of buyers is decreasing day by day.
According to locals, barely five years ago, there were more than 2,000 blacksmith shops in various markets of Cox's Bazar district town.
Various types of iron goods made in these outlets were taken by wholesales to different districts and upazilas of the country. At that time their business was prosperous and profitable.
But as the raw materials are now in short supply, ironsmiths are leaving their ancestral profession and joining jobs in other sectors.
And those who cannot do any other work except for this profession continue with jobs in the industry.
Sanjit Barua, an ironsmith of Pekua market, said, "I have been in this profession for 18 years. Our manufactured goods used to be taken by wholesalers to different districts and upazilas of the country including Chittagong, but now it is difficult to sell them even in retail shops, let alone wholesale ones.
"I'm now earning a precarious living as an artisan and finding it very much tough to maintain my family. Our profession is on the verge of extinction today. If the government gives some subsidy or cooperation in this profession, it would be possible for many people like me to continue with this profession."
Samir Karmakar, another artisan of Boro Bazar in Cox's Bazar town, said that he has to struggle to maintain his family and children's education expenses working in this profession.
"As I am an uneducated person, I cannot do any other work except for this profession. So, despite the hardships, we have to continue with work here," he added.
"At present, we manufacture knife, chopper, fish-knife, paddle, spade, sickle, shovel, axe, scissors etc. Per day sale of these things reach Tk400-500. Also sometimes there is no income. I am spending days with my family with this scanty income," he said.
Sankar Karamkar of Maheshkhali Upazila said, currently we do not have much demand for this work. Some work is done on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Some work is also available during the paddy harvesting season. Besides, there is a lot of idle time throughout the year.
Subhash Karmakar of Boro Bazar in Cox's Bazar said that he has been involved in this profession since his forefathers' time.
"Now I'm suffering acutely due to the increase in commodity prices. The demand for our manufactured products is very low now and they are selling at low prices as well," he added.
Pekua Kabir Ahmad Chowdhury Bazar Samity President Md Minhajul Uddin said, "Blacksmithing is an ancient profession, wherein the work is to make iron articles. Blacksmiths
professionally make the iron products used in household works, agriculture and beyond."
"The workers do not get much work in the rest months except for two months during the Eid season. Many workers have left the market for want of income. I have heard that many have changed professions."
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