Research on disappeared jobs

With the passage of time and technology moving at an increasingly fast pace, numerous jobs have either become automated or disappeared completely. If we can conduct research on these occupations, we will be able to know about our past lifestyle, and enrich our history.

For instance, before 19th century, we had a number of weavers across the country, who used to export home-made clothes abroad. Hand woven from an uncommon and delicate yarn, muslin was found in Bangladesh, and the Indian state of West Bengal.

It was exported to Europe for much of the 17th and 18th century. However, these weavers and craftsmen had to change their profession after readymade garment products from Europe became available in the then East Bengal.

According to some records, people in Old Dhaka used to prepare washing soap, known as Bangla Saban, with alkali and lime. These soap-makers had to change their profession after finer forms of soap became available in the market. We have to carry out further research on our disappeared crafts so that we can know about our past as well as try to find out the possibilities of reviving those crafts.

Shahadat Sumon,

Student of Department of Chemistry,

Jahangirnagar University, Savar,

shahadat.ju47@gmail.com