Pabna weavers awfully busy with Eid around the corner

PABNA, Mar 25: With the Eid-ul-Fitr barely one week away, weavers in Pabna district are racing against the clock to meet the buyers' demands as well as fulfill their own business targets within the stipulated timeframe.

Artisans are passing busy time making lungis day and night in the weaving villages of the district. Similarly, traders are also doing brisk business in a happy mood.

Especially, the traditional Chachkiya lungi, which is produced by using handloom mostly in Ekdanta union of Atgharia upazila of the district, has become widely famous and not only is supplied within the country but also is exported to various foreign countries. This lungi is very much comfortable to use and durable as well.

Those who have used this lungi once will not want to use any other type of the garment. So, weavers are working day and night to make lungi at a constant pace. Many families associated with weaving in Pabna district have become economically self-sufficient.

Having gained fame for its unique colours, yarns and sustainable weaving, Chachkiya lungi of Pabna is being exported abroad beyond the borders of the country.

According to the statistics of the Pabna District Weaving Board, there are 64,000 handlooms, power looms and modern technology looms in the district.

The livelihood of about 0.3 million people is associated with this industry. Lungi is a favourite and traditional garment for Bengalis. Almost everyone loves to wear this mostly indoors and sometimes outdoors too, whether at home or abroad. Lungi from Pabna, one of the country's lungi producing regions, is now supplied across the country and exported to about 25 countries including the Middle East.

During a recent visit, it was seen that the weaving villages in Ishwardi, Sujanagar, Atgharia, Bera, and Santhia upazilas of Pabna were bustling with the hustle and bustle of factory owners and workers. Along with men, women were also helping in weaving clothes.

The original loom, made with a combination of iron, jute and clay holes, is known as Matir Tat in the regional language.

Skilled craftsmen make the traditional high-quality Chachkiya lungi with fine yarn using great efforts, which is appreciated both at home and abroad.

Hand-operated factories have been established all over Chachkiya village in Ekdanta union of Atgharia upazila and in its vicinity and all the lungis produced there are known and sold as Chachkiya lungi.

Joynal, a skilled craftsman from Chachkya, said it takes a lot of efforts to make 2-3 high-quality lungis using fine yarn all day long, such lungi costs up to Tk2,000.

Sagar Hossain, the owner of the factory, said, "Chachkiya is now a brand name, there is a demand for lungi under this name all over the country and even abroad, we always get orders for special lungi."

On the other hand, prices of dye and yarn have increased so much that the weaving industry is struggling to survive. He said price of a bundle of yarn is now Tk4,600 to Tk4,700.

Those who make this famous lungi are not doing well. The weavers of Pabna who make lungis have become hostages to moneylenders and big businessmen. Moneylenders are making a hefty profit by buying these lungis made by the weavers and selling them in various places including Dhaka.

"The weavers of this industry are so poor that they cannot run their business on their own, so they borrow money from big companies for raw materials on the condition of selling their products," said Md. Afzal Hossain, secretary of the Chachkiya Cooperative Society. Local weaver Amjad Hossain said lungis are made in two sizes, 5.5 hands and 6 hands. The cost of making a 5.5 hands lungi per piece is Tk 450 to Tk 500. It sells for Tk 600 to 700. And the cost of making a 6 hands lungi per piece is Tk 650, and it sells for Tk 800.

The largest wholesale lungi market in the northern region has been set up at Ataikula in Pabna, to sell these lungis where lungis worth several crores of taka are bought and sold on each market day.

Weavers Masidul Islam, Khairul Islam and Rezaul Karim said they can make a maximum of two lungis every day. They get a wage of Tk 280 for two lungis. They live on that.

The weavers said the lungis made by Chachkiya go to every district of the country.

Helal and Brothers, a standard lungi company in Dhaka, buys Chachkyia lungis from Pabna, processes them, puts their own seals and stickers on them and exports them abroad. These are exported to several countries including Middle East, Malaysia, Burma, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. Expatriate Bangladeshis are the big buyers of these lungis.

The weavers seek government's patronisation including loans on easy terms to facilitate overall uplift of the industry.

However, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) officials say that highest possible amount of loan is being given to the weavers.

Jewel Rana, field supervisor of Pabna's Dougachi Sub-BSCIC Center, told the FE, "This year, Tk40,000 has been allocated for the weavers." However, he said that this is not enough.

Kamrul Anan Ripon, president of Pabna District Weavers Cooperative Society, told The Financial Express, "Government support and cooperation are needed to maintain the tradition of Pabna's weaving industry. If the government provides low-interest loans to weavers through the Bangladesh Weaving Board, the closed looms could be made operational again."

Swapan Chowdhury, president of the Pabna Chamber of Commerce and Industries, told The Financial Express, there is no question about the quality and standard of the Chachkiya lungis of Pabna.

But it is necessary to consider the plight of the weavers. In particular, the weavers are not getting fair prices from the moneylenders on time. If the government department concerned takes this issue into its plan and ensures fair prices for the weavers, it is possible to uphold this promising industry.

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