JOYPURHAT, Nov 02: Use of household articles made of bamboo is almost sliding towards extinction in Joypurhat with the industry of plastic materials taking remarkably a burgeoning trend.
Bamboo clusters are now almost a rare sight in many places of the northern district for a sharp decline in its use with the plastic materials gaining usefulness more rapidly.
Bamboos are being gradually depleted in almost every corner of the region.
Those involved in the bamboo product industry are living subhuman life for a drastic fall in their income.
According to a statistics, there are about 1,500 species of bamboo grown in the whole world for use of people.
Around 26 wild and arable species bamboo are born in Bangladesh, especially in the northern districts.
Farmer Nizam Uddin of Joypurhat district said, "Farmers of the country regularly cultivate bamboos to sell those for household use and commercial purpose."
"Even outside the forests, in the same way various types of trees are being planted in the rural areas, the natural friend bamboo bushes are getting lost." he added.
After the birth of a human being, people use bamboos to cut the vein of the newborn with a knife, to make a cradle made of bamboo, to take the body to the grave and spread those on the grave, to make bamboo house, to fence the house etc.
All in all, bamboo is a daily necessity for humans. It is widely used for making houses, ladders, mats, baskets, various toys for children, handicrafts, other daily necessities and stage construction.
The bamboo absorbs carbon dioxide much faster than any other plant. In other words, the bushes of bamboo absorb more carbon dioxide than the same amount of forest.
Daily destruction of biodiversity is taking place as a result of deforestation of other trees in rural areas including bamboos.
The roots of bamboo can prevent soil erosion.
More than 30,000 villages of northern region are losing their traditional bamboo industry. In the past, thousands of products were made from bamboo in the rural areas of the 16 northern districts.
People used to cut fresh bamboos from the clusters next to the house and make various things.
Hundreds of people made a living by working on bamboo. At present, the traditional cottage industry of rural Bengal is being lost due to the lack of bamboo.
Many have left the business of their fathers and grandfathers and are now engaged in other professions.
Amulla, a bamboo artisan in Bogura district, said, "The price of bamboo is high so the price of goods is higher." "Many people do not want to buy bamboo things at high prices." he added.
Ranjan Kumar, bamboo trader of Sirajganj, said their family members are now starving as bamboo made products are not sold. He again said many people have been forced to leave the profession of making bamboo products and go to other professions.
In fact, the demand for bamboo products is largely being replaced by plastic materials.
As a result, the environment is facing the effects of pollution due to increased use of plastic items.
Bamboo plant has proven to be very effective in purifying metals and other toxic substances from soil and water by absorbing them into its own peaks.
Bamboo mace is now a popular therapy with a variety of medicinal applications.
Bamboo cultivation is environmentally friendly. Unnecessary bamboo can be collected on a regular basis without destroying the original plant.
Turning to the ground, it has been seen that bamboo, the best friend of nature, is getting lost in the arb of time.
Environmentalists and true lovers of nature are stressing the need to maintain the balance of the environment by retaining the traditional trend of the use of bamboo.
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