Blacksmiths and concerned traders are passing busy time as sales of tools have increased sharply just ahead of holy Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims.
With only two days left for Eid-ul-Azha to be celebrated on September 25, blacksmiths and other dealers are now very busy following huge orders from permanent and temporary shops.
Although traders fear less orders following low trading of cows, the situation has changed with an increase in supply of cattle which pushed up orders nearly by 15-20 per cent this year than that of last year, traders said.
After visit to Jinjira in Keraniganj, the biggest hub of such tools in the country, on Sunday, the FE correspondent found hundreds of smiths were busy with selling and hammering metals at their shops.
Bikash Karmaker, a blacksmith in Jinjira Palace area, told the FE that they got frustrated as they thought orders would drop this year following less supply of cows.
"But the situation has changed as orders have increased nearly by 20 per cent this year than that of last year," he said.
Mr Bikash said he got an order of 400 chapati (knives) and 50 special knives this year and expecting to earn Tk 50,000.
He said traders across the country bought sharp tools from Jinjira.
Barun Karmaker, father of Bikash, said their trading now totally depends on Eid festivals.
He said imported tools have flooded the market which has made it difficult for local smiths to survive. "All of my relatives have shifted to other professions."
However, he said price of chapati weighing more than 1 kg are sold at Tk 420-450.
The same knives might be sold between Tk 600 and Tk 650 at Gabtoli, Mirpur, Gulistan, New Market in Dhaka by retailers, he said.
Kollol Barui, a smith at Nowabganj Bazar, said the prices of knives and boti increased slightly this year compared to that of last year due to hike in prices of coal.
He said price of coal surged to Tk 80-90 per kg which was only Tk 30-35 per kg a year ago. He said 'botis' in different sizes are being sold at Tk 150-1000--- up by Tk25-Tk 50.
However, medium-sized axes are being sold at Tk 300-1,200--10 per cent increase compared to last year.
Bangladesh Meat Traders Association secretary general Md Rabiul Alam told the FE that sharp weapons and expert hands are needed for quality rawhides.
Mr Alam, also a rawhide trader, said they were in a dilemma over cattle supply. "But all our prediction has been proved wrong as we are now expecting a hike in cattle prices this year than that of last year," he said.
"So, demand for cutters will remain higher this year too," he said.
But many retailers at Newmarket and Gulistan get frustrated for lower trading following incessant rain ahead of Eid.
According to Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, a platform of the country's 2.5 million shop owners, annual turnover from these tools is worth Tk 1.25 billion before Eid-ul-Azha.
tonmoy.wardad@gmail.com
