Flood-hit S'ganj weavers send an SOS to govt
Our Correspondent | Monday, 4 August 2008
SIRAJGANJ, Aug 3: The weaving industry in Sirajganj district is facing closure as the weavers are facing an acute shortage of capital due to two consecutive floods last year.
The cash-crisis has already forced thousands of weavers to close down their business.
Many of them are passing their days in difficulties as they are being haunted the money-lenders.
A weaver at Enayetpur Market in the district told this correspondent: "Although we had been affected twice by last year's back-to-back floods, the government had never thought of our miseries."
"Gone are the past floods, and the next one is knocking at our doors, but the rehabilitation loan programme of the central bank, basically for the Sirajganj weavers, has not yet been implemented," another weaver said.
They blamed bureaucratic tangles at the local Tant Board Basic Centre for the sluggish process.
According to locals, if the government continued the microcredit system at a comparatively low rate of interest, nearly 20,000 poor weavers could be able to survive the ongoing cash crisis.
Besides, other people who are indirectly linked to the weaving industry will also get an opportunity to earn their livelihood in the area, they observed.
The cash-crisis has already forced thousands of weavers to close down their business.
Many of them are passing their days in difficulties as they are being haunted the money-lenders.
A weaver at Enayetpur Market in the district told this correspondent: "Although we had been affected twice by last year's back-to-back floods, the government had never thought of our miseries."
"Gone are the past floods, and the next one is knocking at our doors, but the rehabilitation loan programme of the central bank, basically for the Sirajganj weavers, has not yet been implemented," another weaver said.
They blamed bureaucratic tangles at the local Tant Board Basic Centre for the sluggish process.
According to locals, if the government continued the microcredit system at a comparatively low rate of interest, nearly 20,000 poor weavers could be able to survive the ongoing cash crisis.
Besides, other people who are indirectly linked to the weaving industry will also get an opportunity to earn their livelihood in the area, they observed.